Motorists to get break on Drive Clean program
Thread Starter
Former Sponsor
Joined: Jul 2007
Posts: 2,362
Likes: 1
From: the land between lancer and evo
Motorists to get break on Drive Clean program
http://www.thestar.com/news/ontario/...-clean-program
Rob Ferguson
Queen's Park Bureau
A break on the number of Drive Clean tests motorists must get is another sign Ontario’s Liberal government is revving up for the Oct. 6 provincial election, opposition parties said Thursday.
“It does look a little suspicious given that it’s just before an election campaign,” Progressive Conservative Leader Tim Hudak said.
Environment Minister John Wilkinson said he will soon announce a date when only cars and light trucks aged seven years and older will require the tests that are now mandatory at the five-year mark.
“Our new cars are meeting higher standards and, as a result, we’ve been able to look at our testing and realize that we can move the testing threshold from five years to seven years …. that saves people time and money,” Wilkinson said.
The tests cost about $30 plus tax and vehicles failing them are required to make repairs to improve their emissions.
Wilkinson denied the change — which also waives tests in certain situations — is another election goody from a government that has already announced a 10 per cent break on electricity rates.
“We need to focus on those cars that are causing the problem … I don’t believe that we should be doing tests on cars which, the vast majority of them we know are passing.”
Hudak said a Conservative government would phase out the program started under former premier Mike Harris in 1999.
“I drive an ’03 Chevy Avalanche that just got tested. It passed, but it wouldn’t be caught under the Liberals’ change,” Hudak added, speaking of his pickup truck.
“You actually have to take a close look at how cars are performing and what year would be appropriate. I think they just pulled this out of the air before an election campaign.”
New Democrat Leader Andrea Horwath said it would be a mistake to kill Drive Clean because many people are driving older cars after the recession.
“The problem is we still smell smog … we still need to do much more in terms of investments in transit systems and to help people get out of their cars,” added Horwath, who owns a 2004 Ford Focus.
Rob Ferguson
Queen's Park Bureau
A break on the number of Drive Clean tests motorists must get is another sign Ontario’s Liberal government is revving up for the Oct. 6 provincial election, opposition parties said Thursday.
“It does look a little suspicious given that it’s just before an election campaign,” Progressive Conservative Leader Tim Hudak said.
Environment Minister John Wilkinson said he will soon announce a date when only cars and light trucks aged seven years and older will require the tests that are now mandatory at the five-year mark.
“Our new cars are meeting higher standards and, as a result, we’ve been able to look at our testing and realize that we can move the testing threshold from five years to seven years …. that saves people time and money,” Wilkinson said.
The tests cost about $30 plus tax and vehicles failing them are required to make repairs to improve their emissions.
Wilkinson denied the change — which also waives tests in certain situations — is another election goody from a government that has already announced a 10 per cent break on electricity rates.
“We need to focus on those cars that are causing the problem … I don’t believe that we should be doing tests on cars which, the vast majority of them we know are passing.”
Hudak said a Conservative government would phase out the program started under former premier Mike Harris in 1999.
“I drive an ’03 Chevy Avalanche that just got tested. It passed, but it wouldn’t be caught under the Liberals’ change,” Hudak added, speaking of his pickup truck.
“You actually have to take a close look at how cars are performing and what year would be appropriate. I think they just pulled this out of the air before an election campaign.”
New Democrat Leader Andrea Horwath said it would be a mistake to kill Drive Clean because many people are driving older cars after the recession.
“The problem is we still smell smog … we still need to do much more in terms of investments in transit systems and to help people get out of their cars,” added Horwath, who owns a 2004 Ford Focus.
I heard that in 2 to 3 years, there will be no dyno emission test, all cars no matter front wheel drive , rear wheel or all wheel drive will perform 2 speed idle test which is what we do now on AWD vehicle only
Evolving Member
Joined: May 2010
Posts: 332
Likes: 0
From: Canada
this sounds good to me!! means i got another 6 years to have a full blown race/dd driven street legal car before i may have to pull off the road 
I love the idle test done to the evo,..passed 1 test failed the other barely...lil meth injection n she'll pass with no cats
I love the idle test done to the evo,..passed 1 test failed the other barely...lil meth injection n she'll pass with no cats
Evolved Member
Joined: Jan 2010
Posts: 700
Likes: 1
From: Canada
I'm glad they are delaying when this test comes in... it's a pretty stupid test anyways. My family used to have a car that was 13 years old... I took it in for testing and it barely registered anything. Also... there's things that can be done to manipulate the Drive Clean test. They should just cancel the thing... it's another tax!
As the article said... it is "convenient timing" now that an election is coming up.
As the article said... it is "convenient timing" now that an election is coming up.
