Right Hand Drive Vehicles Have no Place on our Roads: Canadian Auto Dealers
Association

Association Calls for Closing of Regulatory Loophole

OTTAWA, Oct. 20 /CNW/ - Today, the Canadian Automobile Dealers Association (CADA), which represents over 3,300 dealers nationwide, is calling on the federal government to close a regulatory loophole that allows thousands of dirty and unsafe right hand drive (RHD) vehicles into Canada every year.

"Recent years have seen a dramatic increase in the number of right hand drive vehicles in Canada," said Richard Gauthier, President and CEO of CADA. "These cars are imported under a regulatory loophole that allows vehicles older than 15 years of age to enter the country without complying with the Canadian Motor Vehicle Safety standards or national environmental standards."

The 15-year exclusion rule for the imposition of Canada's safety and environmental standards on imported cars was introduced at a time when 15-year-old vehicles were very rare, to continue to allow antiques to be imported into Canada. It is under this loophole that all RHD vehicles currently enter Canada.

"A 15-year-old car is no longer an antique," continued Mr. Gauthier. "The vast majority of vehicles on the road today reach their 15^th birthday and beyond. What's more, RHD vehicles are as much as 40 per cent more likely to be involved in an accident than traditional left hand drive cars. They are often used for street racing and other reckless acts. One was involved in a tragic accident in Ottawa this summer in which the young parents of three girls were killed."

The provinces of Quebec and Prince Edward Island have already acted to stem the tide of RHD cars on their roads. CADA is calling on the federal government to act on behalf of all Canadians to increase the threshold for the suspension of environmental and safety regulations from 15 to 25 years.

"This is a very simple fix for the federal government and would bring us into line with our trading partners," said Mr. Gauthier. "America and Australia have moved to 25 years and until Canada does the same, it will continue to be a dumping ground for dirty, old and unsafe RHD vehicles from Asian countries. Keeping them out of Canada is the right thing to do for the safety of Canadian drivers and for the quality of the air that we breathe."

The Canadian Automobile Dealers Association (CADA) is the national association for franchised automobile dealerships that sell new cars and trucks. Our 3,300 dealers represent a key sector of Canada's economy. Through our dealers, we are represented in nearly every community and those dealers collectively employ over 130,000 people across the country.

For further information:

Emily Reid
CADA Public Affairs
Phone: [phone]
Email: [email protected]