Calling it "outdated", the Ontario government has announced the cancellation of the Drive Clean program.
Premier Doug Ford made the announcement Friday, saying the scrapping of the program that forced drivers to have their vehicles undergo emissions tests will save money for taxpayers and reduce what the PC government calls "regulatory burdens on Ontario families." The program will officially be cancelled on April 1, 2019.
"By ending Drive Clean tests and repairs for passenger vehicles, this government is reducing the burden on residents and families who own a car, so they no longer need to take time out of their days to take their vehicles in for unnecessary tests," said Premier Ford in a statement issued Friday. "We're saving taxpayers over $40 million every year. And we're better targeting the biggest polluters to protect Ontario's air."
According to the government, a new program will put its focus on heavy-duty vehicles like transport trucks, since passenger vehicles have become considerably more fuel efficient and emit fewer pollutants.
"When first introduced by a previous Progressive Conservative government in 1999, Drive Clean was effective. It provided a way to target emissions related to smog and other environmental problems," said Environment Minister Rod Phillips. "This has resulted in a steady decrease in the number of cars that fail the emissions test. Drive Clean was intended to be a time-limited program, and as the years passed, so did its usefulness. It has provided less and less value for taxpayer dollars."
