A key priority for the BC Trucking Association is addressing the climate emergency, which is why the BCTA Sustainability Committee works with our industry to help identify measures we can take today, and in the future, to reduce our sector’s carbon footprint and reduce unnecessary idling.

BCTA has submitted a letter to Rob Fleming, Minister of Transportation and Infrastructure, and George Heyman, Minister of Environment and Climate Change Strategy, to advocate for province-wide idle management regulation for BC’s medium- and heavy-duty (MHD) commercial road transportation sector.

Greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from this sector has grown by 27% over the past decade (2007-2018), and BCTA modelling is forecasting growth of 17.3% by 2030. To reduce transportation related GHG emissions, many North American jurisdictions have implemented various forms of legislation and regulations to limit engine idling. On average, heavy-duty commercial vehicles idle for 1,800 hours per year, and as a result burn approximately 7,200 litres of diesel and emit roughly 18,720 kg of carbon dioxide emissions— equivalent to four passenger vehicles. Because of this, many levels of government across North America have already implemented idle management regulations such as:

• Vancouver: all motor vehicles, 3 consecutive minutes in a 60-minute period

• Revelstoke: all motor vehicles, 3 consecutive minutes when not in motion

• Toronto: all motor vehicles, 1 minute in a 60-minute period when not in motion

• Banff: all motor vehicles, no idling permitting other than exemptions

• Gatineau: all motor vehicles, 3 minutes in a 60-minute period

A province-wide mandate will establish a consistent, level playing field that municipalities can consider adopting.

The intent of the proposed regulation is to demonstrate that BCTA and our members are committed to the fight against climate change and would like to work collaboratively with the Government of BC to find ways of meeting our shared objectives to evolve to a lower carbon future. This regulation would:

• Apply to all commercial vehicles with a GVW > 11,794 kg

• Prohibit idling for longer than 5 minutes in a 60-minute period when the vehicle is stationary

Exemptions to this regulation could include:

• Emergency activity/personnel

• Traffic and weather conditions

• For maintenance/repair purposes

• A diesel-fueled truck operating in ambient air temperature below 0 degrees Celsius, or above 28 degrees Celsius for more than 2 hours

• A vehicle using an auxiliary power unit, generator set, cargo temperature control, or other idle reduction technology that maintains heat or air conditioning or provides electrical power

• A vehicle using power to perform its duties (e.g., crane, concrete, picker, hydrovac, bulk liquid pump)

For full details of our recommendations for idle-management regulation in BC, please see BCTA’s March 2, 2022 letter to Minister Fleming and Minster Heyman.

Have your voice heard. If you would like to become involved and join our Sustainability Committee, please contact Cory Paterson, BCTA Vice President, at CoryP@BCtrucking.com or 604-888-5319 ext 211.