Canada Goes After Engine Makers

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The Canadian government is following the lead of the United States and is seeking concessions from diesel engine manufacturers similar to those the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency demanded for alleged Clean Air Act violations.

Transport Canada, the government agency responsible for regulating truck emissions, is in negotiations with the six major U.S. diesel engines makers that agreed in October to a settlement with the EPA expected to cost the companies close to $1 billion.

Letters from the Canadian government went out to the engine makers soon after the settlement was announced, said Brian Jonah, the director of motor vehicle standards and research for Transport Canada.

“We’d like to see the same kinds of things that have been achieved in the U.S. by the EPA,” said Jonah.

In the U.S., engine makers — Caterpillar Inc., Cummins Engine Co., Detroit Diesel Corp., Mack Trucks, Navistar International Transportation Corp. and Volvo Truck Corp. — agreed to pay record fines, fund environmental projects, retrofit some of the engines on the road and meet tougher emissions standards. EPA claimed the engine makers were using electronic emissions controls in their engines to cheat federal tests for nitrogen oxides.

For the full story, see the March 8 print edition of Transport Topics. Subscribe today.