Ontario scraps Drive Clean emissions test

Doug Ford has announced the Ontario government is scrapping the Drive Clean vehicle emissions testing program and replace it with a new system focuses on heavy duty vehicles such as transport trucks.

Ford says the program which tests emissions every two years on cars and light-duty trucks over seven years old, is outdated and no longer effective. He says the move will save the province $40 million a year.

The province says the program worked well when it was brought in back in 1999 but now that companies have higher emissions standards, the program is not needed.

The Progressive Conservative government says a new program will be introduced to target emissions from heavy duty vehicles, which they say have weaker emissions standards.

The proposed changes will be subject to a 30-day public consultation and won’t officially wrap up until April 2019.