. /.   WORLD TRADE  
ORGANIZATION  G/TBT/N/CAN/312 
27 April 2010  
 (10-2214) 
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 (Article 3.2 and 7.2):     
2. Agency responsible:  Department of the Environment  
Name and address (including telephone and fax numbers, email and website 
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, Ontari o, Canada, K1P 6N7 Tel.:  +1 613 238 3222, 
Fax:  +1 613 569 7808, E- mail:  enquirypoint@scc.ca  
3. Notified under Article 2.9.2 [X], 2.10.1 [   ], 5.6.2 [X], 5.7.1 [   ], other:   
4. Products covered (HS or CCCN where applicab le, otherwise national tariff heading. 
ICS numbers may be provided in addition, where applicable):  Passenger cars and light 
trucks (ICS: 13.040, 43.080, 43.100)  
5. Title, number of pages and langu age(s) of the notified document:  Proposed Passenger 
Automobile and Light Truck Greenhouse Gas Em ission Regulations  (Available in English 
and French, 66 pages).  
6. Description of content:  Greenhouse gases (GHGs) are primary contributors to climate 
change.  The most significant sources of GHG emissions are anthropogenic, mostly as a result of combustion of fossil fuels.  The emissions of GHGs have been increasing significantly since the industrial revolution and this  trend is likely to continue if no action is 
taken.  
Transportation is one of the largest sources of GHG emissions in Canada, accounting for 
about 27% of total GHG emissions in 2007.  Passenger cars and light trucks account for 
around 12% of total GHG emissions or 45% of transportation emissions.  Accordingly, 
taking action to reduce emissions from new ca rs and light-duty trucks is an essential 
element of the Government's strategy to re duce air pollutant and GHG emissions to protect 
the environment and the health of Canadians.  
The objective of the proposed Passenger Automobile and Light Truck Greenhouse Gas 
Emission Regulations (the proposed Regul ations) is to reduce GHG emissions by 
establishing mandatory GHG emission standard s for new vehicles of the 2011 and later 
model years that are aligned with U.S. standards.  The alignment of vehicle emission 
standards across North America will provide a level playing field that will lead North 
American manufacturers to produce more a dvanced vehicles, while enhancing their 
competitiveness in North American and export markets.  G/TBT/N/CAN/312 
Page 2  
 
  The proposed Regulations would require that  vehicle manufacturers and importers meet 
fleet average GHG emission standards for thei r passenger automobiles and light trucks for 
the 2011 and later model years.  The proposed Regulations also include provisions that establish compliance flexibilities designed to provide appropriate lead-time for technological improvements and a smooth transition to a more stringent regulatory 
program.  These flexibilities include a system for generating, banking and trading emission 
credits that could be used to offset any em ission deficits incurred, allowances for making 
GHG-reducing improvements to vehicle air conditioning systems and for innovative 
technologies to reduce GHG emissions.  Flexib ilities also include incentives for vehicles 
with dual-fuel capability and advanced t echnology vehicles and optional standards for 
companies selling smaller volumes of vehicles.  Companies would also be required to 
submit annual reports, to maintain records relating to the GHG emission performance of 
their fleets and to establish compliance with the proposed Regulations. 
Notes: The Government of Canada first a nnounced its commitment to take regulatory 
action to reduce GHG emissions from 2011 and later model year passenger automobiles and 
light trucks in the Notice of intent to deve lop and implement regula tions and other measures 
to reduce air emissions published in the Canada  Gazette, Part I, on 21 October 2006.  The 
NOI was notified as G/TBT/N/CAN/181. 
On 4 April 2009, the Government published th e Notice of intent to develop regulations 
limiting carbon dioxide emissions from new car s and light-duty trucks in the Canada 
Gazette, Part I, notified as G/TBT/N/CAN/262, to inform interested parties of a new 
regulatory approach to achieve its policy ob jective of reducing GHG emissions from new 
vehicles.  The Government announced th at it was proceeding with the immediate 
development of regulations  under CEPA 1999 to limit emissions of GHGs from new 
passenger automobiles and light-duty trucks to  take effect beginning with the 2011 model 
year. 
7. Objective and rationale, including the natu re of urgent problems where applicable:  
Protection of human health and the environment  
8. Relevant documents:   Canada Gazette, Part I, 17 Apr il 2010, Pages 882-947 (available in 
English and French)   
9. Proposed date of adoption:   
 
Proposed date of entry into force:    Normally within 5 to 8 months of publication 
in the Canada Gazette, Part I. 
On the date the measure is adopted. 
10. Final date for comments:  16 June 2010 
11. Text 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://www.gazette.gc.ca/rp-pr/ p1/2010/2010-04-17/p df/g1-14416.pdf  (Canada Gazette) 
or  http://www.gazette.gc.ca/rp-pr/p1/ 2010/2010-04-17/html/reg1-eng.html
 (English)  
http://www.gazette.gc.ca/rp-pr/p1/ 2010/2010-04-17/html/reg1-fra.html  (French)