Canada’s trucking industry is urging Ottawa to tread carefully after the United States signaled a major shift in greenhouse gas (GHG) regulations for heavy vehicles.
The Canadian Trucking Alliance (CTA) says the federal government must respond strategically to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s proposal to rescind its 2009 Endangerment Finding, which underpins American GHG rules. Eliminating that finding would remove the legal basis for current and planned emissions standards, including Phase III regulations for heavy-duty trucks.
CTA President and CEO Stephen Laskowski warned that diverging regulatory regimes could create cost pressures and uncertainty for fleets and manufacturers operating in an integrated North American market.
The alliance has previously highlighted technological, economic and operational challenges tied to decarbonizing heavy trucks, noting Phase II rules have already strained some vocational fleets. Moving ahead with stricter Canadian requirements while the U.S. retreats could further erode competitiveness, it said.
CTA is calling on Ottawa and Environment Minister Julie Dabrusin to closely align with U.S. policy, reflect current industry conditions in any framework, consult carriers and OEMs on feasible emissions-reduction technologies, and support alternative fuels and transitional solutions.
Laskowski stressed the EPA move does not signal an end to emissions-reduction efforts, but rather an opportunity to craft policies that balance environmental progress with economic and operational realities.
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