Oct 2018

Ontario Drive Clean Program Ending as Government Shifts Focus

Ontario’s Government for the People announced that as of April 1, 2019, drivers of passenger vehicles will no longer be required to complete emissions tests as once required by the Drive Clean Program.

The outgoing Drive Clean Program was put in place as a means to monitor the emissions of vehicles that are more than seven years old. Rod Philips, the Minister of the Environment, said that on-road emissions aren’t as big of a concern as they were when the program was initiated in 1999, largely due to the fact that vehicles are now built to give off less harmful emissions.

The program is set to be replaced by a new monitoring initiative that focuses on testing heavy duty and commercial trucks. These heavy-duty vehicles emit far more harmful pollutants and are typically kept on the road much longer than passenger vehicles. More details on the testing process and standards are to follow.