Emissions plan won't fly, automakers warn

A group representing Canadian car makers says Nova Scotia will suffer if it proceeds with a plan to cap tailpipe emissions.

The Nova Scotia government last week announced it will implement standards similar to those proposed in California, which officials say will cut emissions by about 30 per cent.

'We will not build special vehicles for any one province.' —Mark Nantais, Canadian Vehicle Manufacturers Association

However, Mark Nantais, president of the Canadian Vehicle Manufacturers Association, says Nova Scotia is too small to influence the global car market.

"We will not build special vehicles for any one province. We will not build special vehicles for Canada," Nantais said.

About 97 per cent of cars on the road right now would not meet Nova Scotia's proposed standards, which are scheduled to come into effect by 2010.

"In the end, there is no environmental benefit but huge disruption to the marketplace in terms of vehicle choice, and the dealers, I would suggest— whether you're in Nova Scotia or any province that thinks this is going to happen— could [have] some serious business implications confronting them," Nantais said.

The Nova Scotia government says it will make sure the province will not be isolated when the new rules come into effect.

"That's why we've been working together with our neighbouring jurisdictions in New England and Atlantic Canada to hopefully put these standards in place in a larger region than just our own," said Andrew Murphy, manager of air quality in the Department of Environmentand Labour.

Murphy said British Columbia and Quebec are also planning similar carbon caps.

He said there is enough momentum in the green movement in both Canada and the U.S. to force car makers to lower carbon dioxide emissions.