ECOTRANSPORT STRATEGY
Transportation is a key element of the government's environmental agenda.
Transportation is also vital to economic activity and critical to Canada's
prosperity. However, the movement of people and goods has significant
environmental consequences, such as air and water pollution. These environmental
impacts create social and economic costs, and affect the health and quality of
life of Canadians. Through fuel combustion, transportation activities generate
both greenhouse gases, which contribute to climate change, and air pollutants,
which contribute to smog and acid rain. That is why it is so important to reduce
the amount of fuel consumed, improve transportation efficiency and introduce
cleaner transportation technologies.
As part of its environmental agenda, Canada's New Government launched the
ecoTransport Strategy. This strategy features the ecoMobility program; the
ecoTechnology for Vehicles Program and the ecoENERGY for Personal Vehicles
Program; and the ecoFreight program.
ecoMobility—Making the right transportation choices for a clean, healthy
environment
With an investment of up to $10 million, the ecoMobility program seeks to work
with municipalities to help cut urban-passenger transportation emissions by
encouraging commuters to choose public transit or other sustainable
transportation options. Working with cities across Canada, this initiative will
help develop programs, services and products to improve choice and quality of
life for Canadians in urban areas.
ecoTechnology for vehicles and ecoENERGY for personal vehicles—Steer in the
direction of an environmentally friendly tomorrow
With up to $15 million in funding, the ecoTechnology for Vehicles Program will
include in-depth testing and publishing of results on a range of emerging,
environmentally friendly technologies for use in light-duty vehicles. Showcasing
the vehicles will raise awareness and help provide Canadians with the facts they
need on vehicle purchases now and into the future. The program will also foster
important new partnerships with the automotive industry and encourage the
introduction of a broader range of environmental technologies in Canada.
With up to $21 million in funding, the ecoENERGY for Personal Vehicles Program,
delivered by Natural Resources Canada, will provide fuel consumption information
and decision-making tools to encourage consumers to purchase fuel-efficient
vehicles that are currently available in the market.
ecoFreight—Meeting the challenge of sustaining a clean, healthy freight
transportation system
With an investment of up to $61 million, the ecoFreight program features new
steps to reduce the environmental and health effects of freight transportation
through technology and will be delivered by Transport Canada and Natural
Resources Canada. These steps include addressing regulatory barriers, reducing
fuel use and emissions, establishing a Freight Technology Demonstration Fund,
providing cost-shared funding for the purchase and installation of proven
technologies, building industry partnerships, and supporting up to four pilot
projects to demonstrate the installation and use of shore-based power for marine
vessels in Canadian ports.
To learn more about the Government of Canada's environmental agenda and the
ecoTransport Strategy, visit www.tc.gc.ca/ecoTransport.
February 2007
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