Bradley asks province for incentives for green fleets

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TORONTO, Ont. — The Ontario Trucking Association (OTA) is appealing to the province to help entice trucking companies to fast-track implementation of the new smog-free engines into their fleets.

OTA president David Bradley addressed the Legislative Standing Committee on Finance and Economic Affairs earlier this week. He took the opportunity to explain the trucking industrys emissions timetable, highlighting the air quality benefits of the new engines. He then encouraged the government to provide incentives for fleets to purchase the new cleaner, greener vehicles.

To date the government has provided no financial incentives for the purchase of these near-zero emission vehicles, in fact it has delayed implementation through outdated sales tax treatment of the trucking industrys capital equipment, said Bradley. The time to act is now. An enormous opportunity exists to take steps that will be good for the environment by reducing both smog and GHG emissions, while at the same time being good for the Ontario economy. But we must lay the groundwork now.

He added planning for the 2010 round of emissions reductions should begin now. With some government assistance, Bradley pointed out a pre-buy can be avoided. Bradley called for: temporary incentives to support accelerated acquisition of 2010 engines, such as retail sales tax rebates or grants; longer-term tax changes to better reflect the economic realities of the new vehicles and the increasing demand for trucking services, such as more realistic capital cost allowances and the harmonization of the PST with the federal GST; promotion of changes at the federal level to compliment Ontarios actions; and educational tax credits to create a better-trained driver (driving technique being a key element to fuel efficiency).

The OTA has posted its submission on its Web site at: www.ontruck.org/submissions/.

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