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FACT SHEET
ecoFREIGHT
As part of its environmental agenda, Canada's New Government is launching the
ecoTRANSPORT Strategy. This strategy features the ecoFREIGHT Program--a new step
to reduce the environmental and health effects of freight transportation.
ecoFREIGHT--Meeting the challenge of sustaining a clean, healthy
transportation system
Federal investment of up to $61 million over four years in this program consists
of six initiatives, two of which specifically target the trucking industry:
- National Harmonization Initiative for the Trucking Industry: With up to
$6 million, this initiative from Transport Canada is designed to identify
solutions with respect to national and provincial requirements that create
barriers for the trucking industry to adopt currently available technologies
to reduce emissions. This work will be done in partnership with the
provinces and territories.
- ecoENERGY for Fleets: With up to $22 million, this initiative from
Natural Resources Canada will focus on reducing fuel use and greenhouse gas
emissions in commercial and institutional fleets through training and
education, sharing of best practices, anti-idling campaigns, technical
analysis and evaluations to identify opportunities for improvements, and
other technology activities.
The other initiatives address all four modes of transportation (air, rail,
road and marine), as well as users of the freight system:
- Freight Technology Demonstration Fund: With up to $10 million, this
Transport Canada initiative will provide cost-shared funding to companies in
the air, rail, road and marine modes in order to test and measure the
environmental and operational performance of new and underutilized freight
transportation technologies. Industry partners will measure and report on
results such as the fuel saved; the emissions reduced; the technology
purchase, installation and training costs; and the impacts on operations,
equipment and maintenance.
- Freight Technology Incentives: With up to $10 million, this Transport
Canada initiative will mitigate financial barriers to the adoption of new
and under-utilized technologies, many of which currently have an initial
cost premium that makes the initial financial outlay or the length of the
payback period difficult. Under the program, cost-shared funding will be
provided to companies and non-profit associations in all modes of the
freight transportation industry for the purchase and installation of proven
emission-reducing technologies.
- Partnerships on Freight: With up to $7 million, this Transport Canada
initiative will bring together a range of partners within the freight
transportation sector to reduce emissions from freight transportation (road,
rail, aviation and marine). Transport Canada will enhance its partnerships
with other countries in international forums while developing partnerships
with users of the freight system. These partnerships will complement the
broad environmental regulatory agenda, setting targets and action plans for
emission reduction in the short term in areas not suitable for regulation or
before regulations take effect in 2011.
- Marine Shore Power Program: With up to $6 million, this Transport Canada
initiative will support up to four pilot projects for the installation and
use of shore-based power for marine vessels in Canadian ports. With this
technology, marine vessel operators would have the option to connect their
vessels directly to a shore power source while in port. Many vessels are
already equipped to take advantage of shore power where it is available. As
no Canadian ports currently offer this service commercially, ships must idle
their engines, or use diesel engine generators, in order to meet their
on-board energy requirements while in port. This technology will improve
local air quality by reducing air pollution from ships in some of Canada's
largest urban centres.
Transportation is a key element of the government's environmental agenda.
Keeping people and goods moving is vital to a strong economy and is critical to
Canada's prosperity. A more sustainable transportation system will result in
safety, social and economic benefits for all Canadians.
For more information on the ecoFREIGHT program, please visit Transport
Canada's website at www.tc.gc.ca/ecoTRANSPORT.
For more information on ecoENERGY Initiatives, please visit:
http://ecoaction.gc.ca/index-eng.cfm
or call 1-800 O-Canada (1-800-622-6232), Teletypewriter 1-800-926-9105
February 2007
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