Quebec is the first province in Canada to adopt California's tough auto emissions standards, which will reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from cars and light trucks made between 2010 and 2016, according to the province's environment ministry, reports Reuters.
The new rules will go into affect on January 14.
In July, The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) granted California a waiver, enabling the state to enforce its stricter tailpipe emissions standards for new motor vehicles, starting in 2009.
Quebec Environment Minister Line Beauchamp said at a news conference that widespread adoption of the new standards will force car companies to mass produce electric and hybrid vehicles, invest in new technologies to improve efficiency, and promote fuel efficient vehicles, reports Canada.com.
Charles Larochelle, assistant deputy environment minister in Quebec, told Reuters emissions from vehicles will be cut by about 35 percent over the four years, from 187 grams of carbon dioxide per kilometer for passenger vehicles to 127 grams per kilometer by 2016.
Companies will be fined $5,000 for every vehicle sold that exceeds the average emissions target for any given year, reports Canada.com.
Fourteen other U.S. states have also adopted the California standard, including Vermont, Maine, and New York state, reports Reuters.
