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For release: April 23, 2008

Canada can do better

Ottawa - The announcement by the US federal government yesterday on regulations for cars and light trucks clearly demonstrates the feasibility of more stringent fuel efficiency standards in North America, and the dominance of the California standard. Given the greater fuel efficiency of the Canadian fleet, the Canadian government should adopt at a minimum the California standards for cars, which would achieve significant greenhouse gas reductions and savings at the fuel pump.

California rules require a fleet average fuel economy of 35 miles per gallon (6.72 liters/100 km) by 2016, while the Bush Administration is proposing rules that achieve only 31.6 mpg (7.44 L/100km) in 2015, and would not reach 35 miles per gallon until 2020.

“BC, Quebec and Manitoba have led the way in adopting stringent fuel efficiency standards in Canada. Now it's time for our federal government to do the right thing for Canadians and adopt California standards for cars.” said Emilie Moorhouse, Sierra Club Canada.

Canadian drivers have always chosen more fuel efficient vehicles than Americans and the Canadian industry signed an agreement with the previous government to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 5.3 million tonnes by 2010. The government web site claims over 70 fuel saving and emission reducing technologies have been introduced by the car makers in the last few years. This gives the Canadian industry a head start on adopting California regulations.

“There is no excuse. California rules are best for the environment as well as technically and economically viable,” said John Bennett, ClimateforChange.ca

Last January the Canadian government announced it would create fuel economy regulations at least as good as the Congress's target of 35 miles per gallon by 2020, a far cry from its 2007 pledge to create a rule in line with “a stringent, dominant North American standard.” It also announced the cancellation of the EcoRebate, a consumer incentive that gave up to $2,000 to purchasers of fuel efficient cars in the 2008 budget.

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