TORONTO, Ont. – Environment Canada is expected to duplicate the upcoming rule the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is putting in place regarding the second round of greenhouse gas regulations (GHG) for heavy trucks.

The rule is expected to be released in June and will set more requirements for suppliers of heavy trucks, engines and trailer manufacturers to sell technologies to its customers that will measure the level of compliance with the new rule.

Since Canada is expected to follow in the EPA’s footsteps, the Canadian Trucking Alliance (CTA) wants to ensure the Canadian requirements include compliance credits for manufacturers that match specific Canadian operating needs that differ from US operations.

“The CTA wants to ensure that the final Environment Canada rule reflects Canadian operating realties and offers credits to vehicle specifications/technology favoured by Canadian fleets. It is also critical that vehicle specifications under the GHG rules are reflective of the diverse Canadian weights and dimension standards for heavy trucks,” said Geoff Wood, CTA v.p., operations & safety.

In order to help capture the scope of the issues, the CTA, in partnership with the provincial trucking associations, will conduct a series of consultation workshops across the country.

The goal of the events is  so the CTA can gather input from the carrier community on what technology they would like implements and which they would prefer to avoid.

“This is an opportunity for the trucking industry to get control of future fuel efficiency standards in the Canadian context and advocate for what that the carrier community in Canada wants and needs to maintain their existing operating models. It also sets the stage for future direction on changes to provincial weights and dimension regulations,” added Wood.

The input from the workshops will be recorded and consolidated into a CTA position paper on the future of the GHG regulation in Canada and its affect on the Canadian trucking industry.

Below are the meeting dates confirmed with the provincial trucking associations. Agenda, location, and invitations will be sent by the provincial trucking association.

• British Columbia Trucking Association: May 12, 2015 – 10 a.m. to 12 noon
• Alberta Motor Transport Association: May 13, 2015 –  10 a.m. to 12 noon
• Saskatchewan Trucking Association: May 14, 2015 – 10 a.m. to 12 noon
• Manitoba Trucking Association: Date/times to be determined
• Ontario Trucking Association: May 19, 2015 – 10 am to 12 noon
• Quebec Trucking Association: Date/times to be determined
• Atlantic Provinces Trucking Association: May 22, 2015 – 10 am to 12 noon