Car Heaven Rolls Out Across Alberta

Lethbridge Mayor Robert Tarleck launched the province-wide expansion of Car Heaven, a vehicle scrappage program targeting older, high-polluting vehicles.

Climate Change Central, in partnership with the Clean Air Foundation, operates the year-round program that encourages Alberta drivers to turn in their older, polluting vehicles for scrapping and recycling. General Motors, Imperial Oil and Environment Canada are major program sponsors.

Mayor Tarleck and David Coutts, MLA for Livingstone-Macleod and Co-chair of Climate Change Central, supervised the removal of a gas-guzzling '89 Saab at a Lethbridge auto recycling yard today.

"The federal government is serious about tackling climate change and protecting the air Canadians breathe," said Calgary East Member of Parliament Deepak Obhrai on behalf of the Honourable John Baird, Minister of the Environment. "Vehicle scrappage programs like Car Heaven improve air quality by permanently removing older, higher emitting vehicles from our roads. That's just one more way we can all help reduce air pollution and greenhouse gas emissions."

"Car Heaven has proven itself in Edmonton and Calgary by removing over 3,500 high-polluting cars since 2004," said Coutts. "We're happy to see it provide more Albertans with an option and incentives to dispose of their older-model trucks or cars."

Rewards for participating include $1,000 towards a new GM vehicle, or in some cities, up to $300 off the purchase of a bicycle or six months of transit passes. All participants also receive a $50 charitable receipt from the Kidney Foundation.

"The type and age of the vehicle we drive have a significant impact on our environment," says John Rilett, Director of Energy Efficiency and Conservation at Climate Change Central. "Just 10 per cent of the vehicles on our roads produce half of the overall vehicle emissions."

In 2006, Alberta's Car Heaven program reduced an estimated 8,400 tonnes of CO₂ and 2,625 tonnes of smog-forming pollutants (NO_x and VOCs).

"Car Heaven is dedicated not only to accelerating the retirement of old, higher polluting vehicles but also to promoting a shift to more sustainable modes of transportation," says Fatima Dharsee, Program Manager, Clean Air Foundation. "From an air quality perspective, public transit, bicycles or hybrid vehicles are far more sustainable than any vehicle over 11 years old."

Eligible vehicles must be 1995 or older, registered and insured in Alberta for the past six months and drivable. Participating Alberta communities include Bonnyville, Calgary, Camrose, Cold Lake, Coronation, Edmonton, Innisfail, Lacombe, Lethbridge, St. Paul, Stettler, Three Hills, Vegreville and Vermillion. If the area you live in is not listed, please call 1 (888) 441-2277 or visit http://www.carheaven.ca/ to find the drop-off location nearest you.

Climate Change Central

Climate Change Central is a public-private partnership established as a catalyst for, and coordinator of, activities by individuals, businesses, institutions and governments to reduce greenhouse gas emissions in Alberta.

Clean Air Foundation

The Clean Air Foundation is a not-for-profit organization dedicated to developing, implementing and managing public engagement programs and strategic initiatives that lead to a measurable improvement in air quality. The Foundation manages five public engagement programs - Car Heaven, Mow Down Pollution, Keep Cool, Switch Out and Cool Shops.

General Motors

Headquartered in Oshawa, Ontario, General Motors of Canada employs more than 20,000 people nationwide. GM of Canada manufactures a variety of vehicles, engines, transmissions and other components, and markets the full range of General Motors vehicles and related services through 765 dealerships and retailers across Canada. Vehicles sold through this network include Chevrolet, Buick, Pontiac, GMC, Saturn, Hummer, Saab and Cadillac.

Imperial Oil

Over the past five years, Imperial Oil has invested more than $15 million in education-related initiatives across Canada. The company has been a proud part of Canada for 126 years, contributing to communities from coast to coast since the company's inception in 1880. Imperial Oil is one of Canada's largest corporations and a leading member of the country's petroleum industry. It is one of Canada's largest producers of crude oil and natural gas, is the country's largest petroleum refiner, and has a leading market share in petroleum products, sold primarily under the Esso and Mobil brand names through a coast-to-coast supply network that includes close to 2,000 retail outlets.