The Ontario government is scrapping the Drive Clean program.
The announcement only moments ago calls the program 'outdated', saying it will be eliminated starting on April first of next year.
Instead, a new program will be developed, focusing on heavy duty vehicles like commercial transport trucks.
A 30-day policy proposal has been posted on the Environment Registry
"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," Environment, Conservation, and Parks Minister Rod Phillips says. "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."
Under Drive Clean, vehicles that were seven years or older needed to pass an emissions test before renewal of registration and licence plates.
As of April 1, 2017, the Drive Clean emissions test was free.