Today in the legislature I introduced Bill M232 — Motor Vehicle Amendment Act, 2017. This Bill would amend the Motor Vehicle Act, by prohibiting the tampering with emissions control devices in motor vehicles. This amendment would bring BC legislation in line with Ontario’s Environmental Protection Act, and the Clean Air Act in the United States.

The Canadian Trucking Alliance have called on the federal government to enact similar legislation because of inadequate and inconsistent provincial oversight. They are concerned about both the environmental effects arising from, as well as the potential for the creation of unfair business advantages for, those tampering with emission control devices. In addition, this legislation would prevent the practice of coal rolling (see video below).

Below I reproduce the text and video of my introduction of the Bill.


Text of my Introduction


A. Weaver: I move that a bill intituled the Motor Vehicle Amendment Act, 2017, of which notice has been given, be introduced and read a first time.

Motion approved.

A. Weaver: This bill will amend the Motor Vehicle Act by prohibiting the tampering with emissions control devices in motor vehicles.

This bill adds language to the Motor Vehicle Act to explicitly prohibit the removal of emissions control devices installed by manufacturers and prohibits the operation and sale of a motor vehicle that has had its emission control device tampered with or removed.

It also increases the fine that can be levied on contraveners to provide a stronger disincentive against tampering. Tampering with emissions control devices in cars and trucks increases air pollution, undermining progress on reducing emissions and resulting in harmful environmental and human health effects.

As the Canadian Trucking Alliance has noted, provincial regulations and enforcement vary widely across Canada. This amendment would bring British Columbia legislation in line with Ontario’s Environmental Protection Act and the Clean Air Act in the United States.

I move that the bill be placed on the orders of the day for second reading at the next sitting of the House after today.

Bill 232, Motor Vehicle Amendment Act, 2017, introduced, read a first time and ordered to be placed on orders of the day for second reading at the next sitting of the House after today.


Video of my Introduction


15 Comments

  1. Lucas White-
    July 15, 2017 at 10:36 pm

    Some of us bought our trucks with the emotions gear already removed. While a few people like to “roll coal” many of us go to great lengths to prevent the black clouds and such via tuning rather than buying literally thousands of dollars of equipment just to bring a used truck back to the OEM emissions standards.

    Did you know, a Ram3500 with 6.7 Cummins with emissions gear gets about 16L/100km in the city while without, it’s engine life shortening EGR system that improves to around 14L/100km. Don’t make us keep/replace this garbage unless you are going to drastically drop the price of diesel.

  2. CF-
    March 11, 2017 at 1:42 am

    I guess this is what happens when you elect Green, you get a man who doesn’t know anything about diesels nor how expensive they are to operate with factory emissions intact. Sure, you found a video of some bad apples that make the whole community look bad. But do you ever ask the end user on their opinion of factory emissions? Get yourself a diesel and drive it in town only and see how long it takes to get your dashboard like a Christmas tree. See how fun it is after when you’re stuck with an unpleasant bill.

    Theft is a big issue with diesel particulate filters. Multiple times I’ve had particulate filters stolen from trucks. Resulting with bills over $10,000. The filter is north of $6,000 alone from a HD truck shop.

    What about people who don’t recycle their DEF containers. How detrimental would that be to our environment for those who don’t recycle and just throw them into the trash. DEF is most likely selling faster than windshield washer fluid, think of the amount of plastic is being used and thrown away into landfills for the ones who don’t care.

    With excess fuel usage, engines end up making oil and diluting the oil and causing engine damage and premature wear. Since you guys have nothing better to do, think about spending our tax dollars where it really counts.

    /rant

  3. Gurtaj Dhillon-
    March 9, 2017 at 7:30 pm

    This bill is nonsense, like others have said, emissions in our trucks are awful, they fail on a regular basis and cause catastrophic engine failure. ANDREW WEAVER are you going to pay for my repair bills that cost an arm and a leg? DPF filters are a joke, they clog with carbon constantly and oh guess what, fuel gets dumped into the cylinders to burn that off……how the hell is that better for the environment? I suggest you spend your time working on bills that have a positive effect, because if you go through with this I am pretty sure it’ll be your last term…just saying

  4. Kyle-
    March 5, 2017 at 9:24 am

    This is ridiculous. Us diesel drivers do not all roll coal. Stop posting these videos of the few idiots who make us look bad. The emissions on my 2012 f550 diesel were removed due to reliability issues. The stupid setup left me stranded on the side of the road in the middle of nowhere in winter time more then once. Since its been removed I have had 0 breakdowns. None. And my mileage improved greatly. As well as power reducing wear on my drive train. Stop trying to force people to pay for crap they are already paying a ton for. People like you just hurt others needlessly.

  5. Johnny-
    March 4, 2017 at 2:20 pm

    Andrew, you’re going to be costing tax payers big money at the expense of a few bad apples. This is why no one wants big government in their life. Please rethink this action as a whole. I’ve lived in BC for 40 years. You need to get out of citizens lives if you want us to continue paying tax. We pay tax in exchange for freedoms and privileges. If you keep taking freedoms and privileges from the citizens, we no longer have any incentive to pay tax. Please remember this country is a democracy, not a monarchy. Do not impose laws on us like subjects.

  6. Kyle-
    March 3, 2017 at 8:38 pm

    All the new emissions control devices ruin your vehicle it burns more fuel costs more to maintain and causes down time especially with big rigs. The production of these devices hurt the environment and cause more fuel to be consumed in your vehicle thus more pollution

  7. Thomas-
    March 3, 2017 at 5:15 pm

    Def is a nasty chemical that has to be manufactured, packaged, and shipped, (in massive plastic jugs) nonetheless. I drive a 25 year old diesel pickup, and it gets over 22 mpg. Compare that to the same “emission compliant” model from 2015 and you are looking at a reduction down to 17 mpg. Restrictions have clearly been detrimental to the bottom line, which is undoubtedly fuel economy.

  8. Justin McCafferty-
    March 3, 2017 at 8:55 am

    What a bunch of no brains. Always looking for ways to fine and tax. How about trying to find positive ways to stimulate the economy you morons. 99.9 percent of people with diesel trucks have jobs. Like we aren’t taxed to death already. Andrew Weaver you are trying to pass a bill without doing a bit of research into both sides. Good job politician. I bet your family is so proud of you.

  9. Bill-
    March 3, 2017 at 5:16 am

    The dealerships don’t always have the best intentions

    Such as this ulsd
    Funny used to consume a tank get 1000km out of it now get 600
    It is a well known fact that would happen
    So explain you consume twice as much fuel so meaning twice or more has to be pumped from the ground
    So now burning twice as much?

    Better for the environment ?
    Not likely
    Better for your pocket of tax $
    Only

    When I removed my muffler and the shitty cat resignation on my diesel
    My fuel mileage improved by 25%

    That alone tells me it was a good call to remove faulty emission crap that was causing my truck to consume more fuel

    Now I get when you get guys coal totalling
    It’s a waist of money and fuel
    The suit falls to the ground not in the air like a gas engine

    Yes the wind might store the dust up but it will any ways ….

    Once the federal govt. and provincial
    Govt. allow better fuel economy vehicles

    Want to reduce green house gases

    Maybe stop focusing on war ,and put your energy towards reducing the amount of beef being raised ……..

    Maybe stop letting off nukes…..
    Maybe focus on feeding and making sure everyone has food water and shelter

    Maybe you need to think of coming down 50,000$ notches on your wages ….

    Maybe you need to make minimum wage ….
    Zero benefits

  10. KH-
    March 3, 2017 at 2:20 am

    The ones who run “our” country and make these decisions…..
    Wipes before they sh*t.

  11. Nancy-
    March 2, 2017 at 7:08 pm

    Are you kidding me? Just because a couple dimwits “Roll Coal” on a couple cyclists now all of us tax payers have to fork over millions of our hard earned tax dollars to enforce some stupid law to discipline a couple of idiots? Why don’t you put our hard earned tax dollars towards cleaning up our coastal beaches scattered with garbage?

  12. Blake-
    March 2, 2017 at 4:16 pm

    Also to add to my comment , this legislation will not stop “coal rolling”, the black smoke exiting the exhaust happens when the amount of air being supplied to the cylinders cannot keep up with amount of fuel being supplied. In my personal unmodified, stock diesel truck I could put my engine under a heavy load and pick to high of a gear and the result would be the turbo would lag and black smoke would pour out of the exhaust, if this bill goes through it won’t stop my stock truck from occasionally suffering turbo lag, the person in the video shown above will continue to “roll coal” and create a bad name for all of the responsible diesel owners. As we all know street racing is illegal but certain people will always do it.

  13. Blake-
    March 2, 2017 at 3:54 pm

    DEF AND DPF systems on the surface appear to reduce emissions but in reality it is very different , let’s start with the production of the DEF and DPF, many different types of metals have to be mined and processed , as for the DEF the plastic jug filled with ammonia and packaged into a cardboard box. Then there is the way the system works , the process of “regeneration”, basically the DPF traps soot and other impurities then it is burnt out. So basically what happens is the impurities still get sent out of the exhaust but just all at once at a later date. So think about it this way if you ate an apple everyday and threw out the core after you finished eating it, now your being told to toss all your apple cores on your kitchen table and to throw them out at the end of the month, now your kitchen table starts to get moldy and rot a little bit from having the apples cores sit on it, much like how the life of your diesel engine is reduced by having these systems installed. Also my 1996 1-ton diesel will use less fuel then the 2017 version of the same truck, something along the lines of 25% less, so everyone in favour of approving this , in the real world does this make our air cleaner and reduce the consumption of diesel? I’ll let you think about that one .

  14. Scott Jakins-
    March 2, 2017 at 5:20 am

    Why don’t you idiots focus on something useful like the economy

  15. NK-
    March 1, 2017 at 9:32 pm

    Nothing says environmental protection like requiring the production, packaging (plastic jug and cardboard box) and shipping of Diesel Exhaust Fluid (synthetic ammonia and carbon dioxide) Not to mention the fact that vehicles equipped with today’s emissions burn up to 20% more fuel. Lest we forget the process in manufacturing the emissions components themselves. The fact that current emissions systems cut the average life of a diesel motor by up to 75% 1,000,000 km motors now blowing just out of warranty conveniently!