WORLD TRADE  
ORGANIZATION  G/TBT/N/CAN/181 
3 November 2006 
 (06-5306) 
Committee on Technical Barriers to Trade Original:   English/ 
 French 
 
 
  
NOTIFICATION 
 
 
The following notification is being circ ulated in accordance with Article 10.6. 
 
1. Member to Agreement notifying:   CANADA
 
If applicable, name of local government involved (Articles 3.2 and 7.2):         
2. Agency responsible:   Department of the Environment 
Name and address (including telephone and fax numbers, e-mail and web-site addresses, if available) of  agency or authority designated to handle comments 
regarding the notification shall be  indicated if different from above:    
Canadian Enquiry Point 
200-270 Albert Street Ottawa, Ontario 
Canada, K1P 6N7  
Tel.:  +1 613 238 3222 Fax.:  +1 613 569 7808 E-mail:  info@scc.ca  
3. Notified under Article 2.9.2 [  X ], 2.10.1 [   ], 5.6.2 [   ], 5.7.1 [   ], other:         
4. Products covered (HS or CCCN where applicable, otherwise national tariff heading. 
ICS numbers may be provided in  addition, where applicable):   Air emissions   
(ICS:  13.040, 13.020) 
5. Title, number of pages and language(s) of the notified document:   Notice of intent to 
develop and implement regulati ons and other measures to reduce air emissions (11 pages, 
available in English and French). 
6. Description of content:    
The Government is taking responsibility to in troduce an integrated, nationally consistent 
approach to reduce emissions of air pollutant s and greenhouse gases (hereinafter referred to 
collectively as air emissions) in order to prot ect the health and environment of Canadians. 
Canada has historically relied on a variety of non-compulsory measures to reduce air emissions.  However, these have not proved sufficient to reduce the health and 
environmental risks across the country.  We will not only deliver significant emissions 
reductions but commit to ensuring, through em issions monitoring and fully transparent, 
public and accountable reporting, that these emission reductions occur on schedule. Improving air quality by reducing air emissions  is essential for the protection of human 
health and our environment. 
 G/TBT/N/CAN/181 
Page 2  
 
  This Notice sets out the Government's intention to: 
 
− develop and implement regulatory measures primarily, but not exclusively under 
the Canadian Environmental Protection Act, 1999 , and as enabled by amendments 
set out in the proposed Canada's Clean Air Act , addressing the main human-made 
sources (including industry, transportation and certain products) of air pollutants 
and GHGs; 
− develop and implement re gulations and other measures for indoor air; 
− develop and implement regulations enabled by the Energy Efficiency Act  and by 
proposed amendments to that Act set out in the proposed Canada's Clean Air Act ; 
and 
− develop and implement regulations enable d primarily by the proposed amendments 
to the Motor Vehicle Fuel Consumption Standards Act  set out in the proposed 
Canada's Clean Air Act.  
 
Scope of the proposed regulatory actions 
 
The Government will address all major sources of air emissions.  Transportation
: 
− The Government intends to continue to  develop and implement regulations to 
reduce smog- and acid rain-forming emissions from on-road and off-road vehicles, engines and fuels in alignm ent with the standards of the U.S. 
Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).  It also intends to explore opportunities between Environment Canada and the U. S. EPA to facilitate, to the extent 
possible, the administration of vehicle, engine and fuel regulations. 
 
− The Government intends to regulate the fu el consumption of road motor vehicles 
under the Motor Vehicle Fuel Consumption Standards Act after the expiry of the 
Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) be tween the auto industry and the 
Government of Canada. Regulations would take effect for the 2011 model year. 
 
− The Government will also take action to  reduce emissions from other modes of 
transportation, including rail and marine. 
 
Industrial sectors
:  The Government intends to propose regulations to reduce air emissions 
from key industrial sectors including fossil-fuel  fired electricity generation, upstream oil 
and gas, downstream petroleum, base meta l smelters, iron and steel, cement, forest 
products, and chemicals production.  Together , these sectors contribute about half of 
Canada's air pollutant (52%) and GHG (47%) emissions. 
 Consumer and co mmercial products
:  The Government intends to continue the development 
of regulations for consumer and commercial products, including products that may not 
themselves contain pollutants but whose use or existence may cause air emissions.  The 
Government also intends to strengthen energy-efficiency standards and labeling 
requirements for consumer  and commercial products. 
 Indoor air
:  The Government intends to develop measures for improving indoor air quality. 
Information gathering authorities will be used to  identify indoor air issues that are national 
in scope and require government action.  Measu res will include identification and regulation 
of products that could result in degradation of indoor air quality.  G/TBT/N/CAN/181 
 Page 3 
 
 
  7. Objective and rationale, including the na ture of urgent problems where applicable:  
Protection of human health and the environment. 
8. Relevant documents:   Canada Gazette, Part  I, 21 October 2006, Pages 3351-3361 (available 
in English and French). 
9. Proposed date of adoption:   
Proposed date of entry into force:   } Not stated 
10. Final date for comments:   20 December 2006 
11. Texts available from:  National enquiry point [  X ] or address, telephone and fax 
numbers, e-mail and web-site addresses, if available of the other body:   
The electronic version of the regulatory text can be downloaded at:   
http://canadagazette.gc.ca/partI/2006/20061021/pdf/g1-14042.pdf