Importing vehicles into Canada?
Changes to Environment and Climate Change Canada’s Vehicle and Engine Emissions program could impact you.
The Canada Border Services Agency’s (CBSA) Single Window Initiative (SWI) requirements for Environment and Climate Change Canada’s (ECCC) Vehicle and Engine Emissions program have been updated to implement the new Off-road Compression-Ignition (Mobile and Stationary) and Large Spark-Ignition Engine Emission Regulations.
The final version of the “Off-road Compression-Ignition (Mobile and Stationary) and Large Spark-Ignition Engine Emission Regulations” will come into force on June 4, 2021, replacing the previous Off-Road Compression-Ignition Engine Emission Regulations.
Key revisions
The key revisions to the regulations are the inclusion of new emissions standards for large spark-ignition engines (LSI) and stationary compression-ignition engines (SCI), which includes four new engine classes. When importing these newly regulated engines, additional details must be provided to meet affirmation requirements, and data must be provided on alternative emission control systems.
Changes to Off-road Compression-Ignition and Large Spark-Ignition Engine Emission Regulations
Changes related to the newly regulated engines and emission controls are as follows:
- Five different engine class codes have been removed, and others have been renamed in accordance with the new program
- Four new engine classes have been introduced for:
- Off-Road Stationary Compression-ignition – Loose
- Off-Road Stationary Compression-ignition – Installed
- Off-Road Mobile Large Spark-ignition – Loose, and
- Off-Road Mobile Large Spark-ignition – Installed
- New Affirmation requirements
- New data requirements related to alternative emission standard conformity statement
- New data requirements to collect name and location details regarding compliance with requirements for completion of engines or the application of a National Emissions Mark (NEM) after import
- Requirement to show the authorization number assigned by the Minister of Environment and Climate Change Canada when an importer is authorized to apply the NEM to engines after importation at a location specified in their application
Goods subject to ECCC’s emissions regulations
To verify that the goods you’re importing are subject to ECCC emission regulations, refer to the following CBSA pages:
- On-Road Vehicle and Engine Emission Regulations
- Off-road Compression-Ignition (Mobile & Stationary) & Large Spark-Ignition Engine Emission Regulations
- Off-Road Small Spark-Ignition Engine Emission Regulations
- Marine Spark-Ignition Engine, Vessel and Off-Road Recreational Vehicle Emission Regulations
Depending on the specific program and type of product(s), the following data elements may be required at time of importation:
- Vehicle class
- Engine class
- Manufacture name
- Make of machine
- Model of machine
- Engine Identification Number
- Model year of engine
- Engine family name
- Unit Count (New Mandatory Requirement)
- Compliance statement
- Location and contact information for engines being completed after import
For a complete listing of the mandatory, conditional and optional data elements required under the SWI, visit Livingston’s website.
Exceptions to additional data element requirements
Many of the exceptions to the Vehicle and Engine Emission program remain unchanged, such as ECCC authorization to apply a National Emissions Mark (NEM) and exceptions for importers who subscribe to bulk reporting.
Additional data element requirements
Under the new regulations, your customs broker needs to know:
- If you import engines or vehicles for your own company use.
- A limited number of machines for company use only, may be imported annually without full data requirements
- If your company imports 50 or more engines per year and plans to bulk report the newly regulated engines
- Details of any exceptions or exclusions to reporting such as:
- Engines designed to be used exclusively in a military machine in relation to combat
- Engines regulated under the Multi-Sector Air Pollutants Regulations
- Large spark-ignition engines for use in emergency machines
- Engines covered by an EPA certificate
In addition to the above, the new regulations require that your customs broker report the types of conformity statements (Affirmation of Statement Conformity) used by your company concerning the completion of engines prior to or after import, as well as the authorization to apply the NEM to the engine after importation.
When the NEM is to be applied after importation, at a location other than that specified on the application, the name and address must be provided of the location where the engine will be kept until either the national emissions mark is applied or the evidence of conformity is submitted to the ECCC. Fulfilling this requirement ensures that the engine does not leave the importer’s possession or control before the applicable aforementioned condition is met.
Conformity statements
If the affirmation of statement conformity is for an engine that will have its manufacture completed prior to importation into Canada, or if the manufacture being completed in Canada will be limited to either the addition of:
- an emission control system for exhaust emissions, or part of such a system, in a manner that conforms to the certificate and the certificate holder’s installation instructions or
- a complete fuel system, or part of such a system, in a manner that conforms to the certificate and the certificate holder’s installation instructions;
And, the coded class of the engine is one of the four newly regulated engines listed above, then one of the following alternative emission standard conformity statements must be provided, as appropriate for the engine:
- Compression-ignition engine that powers an emergency machine.
- Compression-ignition engine that is or will be installed in a machine to be used only in a hazardous location where the maximum permissible surface temperature for the machine is 200°C or less.
- Mobile compression-ignition engine that is to be used exclusively to provide a primary source of electrical power in a remote location.
- Mobile compression-ignition engine that is to be used exclusively at a North Warning System site established by the North American Aerospace Defense Command.
- Mobile compression-ignition engine that is used in a transportation refrigeration unit.
- Stationary compression-ignition engine that is intended to provide electrical power or mechanical work during a power outage.
- Stationary compression-ignition engine that is a fire-pump engine.
- Stationary compression-ignition engine that is to be used in a remote location.
In all cases when the evidence of conformity is retained at a location other than the place of business of the importer, the name and address where evidence of conformity is retained must be provided as well as the name and contact information of the contact person at that location.