When it comes to emissions, Canada can’t afford to go it alone
The Trump administration has spiked the GHG Phase 3 rules, leaving Canada in a quandary about what to do next.
In February, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency rescinded the ‘Endangerment Finding,’ which underpinned emissions regulations targeting greenhouse gases and carbon dioxide. In doing so, poof, the GHG Phase 3 rules slated to be phased in beginning in 2027 have gone up in smoke.
These are the regulations that were seen to be forcing zero-emission trucks onto the market. The move won’t affect the EPA27 low-NOx regulation – the engine makers are already too far down that path to go back now.
But Canada, like the U.S., was committed to GHG Phase 3. As of this writing, we still are. Yet, it makes very little sense to continue on this path. The truck manufacturers aren’t going to build a Canadian emission spec’ just for us. This market is too small.
And the costs of complying with GHG Phase 3 – when the Americans don’t have too – would be competitively punitive for Canadian fleets. Staying the course should be a non-starter, despite our best environmental intentions.
This won’t sit well in Liberal Ottawa, but it’s time we follow suit and abandon GHG Phase 3. There’s no other practical alternative.
The U.S. trucking industry has been near-unanimous in its support for the EPA’s decision to kill the regulation. It was too restrictive. It would force battery-electric trucks into applications they aren’t yet well suited for. It would foist burdensome costs on operators and ramp up the adoption of technologies not yet ready for prime time in all but niche applications.
And, while battery-electric trucks produce no tailpipe emissions, I’ve yet to see a well-to-wheel analysis that makes the mining of metals needed for battery production or the end-of-life disposal of used battery packs go away.
Say what you want about the Trump administration, but putting an end to GHG Phase 3 is a prudent decision that Canada must follow. And it doesn’t have to be viewed as a defeat, either.
Look at the progress the industry has made in slashing its emissions. It takes 60 trucks of today’s vintage to produce the particulate matter and NOx emissions produced by just one pre-emission truck. That’s a win that should be celebrated, not forgotten.
Killing the restrictive GHG Phase 3 emissions regs also allows fleets to choose greener technologies that will perform as needed in their application. Maybe natural gas will get a fresh look. It’s clean. It’s abundant. It’s produced right here in Canada.
No, it’s not a zero-emission fuel but it significantly reduces CO2 emissions relative to diesel.
This is not the time for Canada to go it alone on emissions. Existing emissions regulations are already punitive to many Canadian fleets. Just ask someone trying to spec’ an on/off-highway vocational truck with an 18-speed transmission.
We need to regulate pollutants, but we need to do so responsibly and without exerting additional pain on Canadian fleets when they can least afford it. It’s time to take a breather and follow in lockstep with the U.S. on emissions regulations.
Our industry depends on it.
Have your say
This is a moderated forum. Comments will no longer be published unless they are accompanied by a first and last name and a verifiable email address. (Today's Trucking will not publish or share the email address.) Profane language and content deemed to be libelous, racist, or threatening in nature will not be published under any circumstances.
Diesel emissions equipment can work well, but the constant and expensive repairs bankrupt everyone. We’re better off leaving things as is until the large roll out of battery electric trucks occurs. There is no mining and disposal issue because it’s now been proven that the batteries can last the life of the truck and can be recycled after that. We need the trucks and a well deployed charging network. Tesla will show us the way.
Very good article, Mr Menzies. This just makes a lot of sense.
Thankyou for addressing the elephant.
-What is progress and what is defeat?
-In this case progress is a sustainable pursuit of improvement. The key word is sustainable.
-Defeat is electric vehicles on the road in a country that has bankrupt itself with “good” ideas that are unsustainable and have little to no impact on the global pollution levels.
-It is time to leave the emotions out of the “zero-emissions” conversation. How would electric vehicles compare to diesel vehicles if they were both evaluated from an honest “mining to recycling” environmental impact view? A lot of us have very strong opinions, but how do we really know the truth if both sides only present the things that look good?
You want to stay on board with emissions regulations? Well maybe it time for the government to except some of the costs that come with maintaining emissions as well ..as consumers we can’t keep absorbing the constant or overall expenses that comes with the upfront costs and maintenance without going bankrupt!
i think what bothers me the most is, we are told that the Government and truck manufactures are doing all these emission systems and bringing electric trucks out to better the environment. There are trucks out on the road today that reduce the emissions and use a small fraction of diesel fuel compared to any new truck today – but the government will not back them or even look at them. The manufactures are not interested in moving that type of program forward since there is no grants… so to me, it is all about the money again and not about reducing the emissions. If you have a truck that drastically reduces fuel consumption, it there by drastically reduces emissions – and proven technology is simple – parts are all available around the world – and the diesel fuel is available around the world in every small city. To me that is just common sense, a win for everyone, rather than trying to force technology at every trucking company, that has not worked since 2007.
Outside of trucks based with 120 kms of toronto and Vancouver
All trucks should have the same standards as Mexico in my opinion for why can lower tier higher emissions equipment ( farm ) transportation be sold in countries we compete like Brazil and India Mexico?