Latest News from the CVMA

Canadian vehicle enhancements to be made through agreements with manufacturers.

Ottawa, ON – 2006-07-28

	Updating the side impact protection requirements to better protect children who sit next to an air bag;
	Improving compatibility between vehicles of different sizes to reduce the severity of occupant injury in side and frontal collisions;
	Promoting the use of new technologies in the design and manufacture of vehicles to ensure optimal seatbelt fit for front seat passengers.

“Canada’s new government is continually looking for ways to reduce the risk of death, injury and property damage due to incidents involving motor vehicles,” said Minister Cannon. “These agreements are the result of extensive cooperation between the Government of Canada and the automotive industry.”

The department continues to modernize its system of regulatory governance by making smarter regulations through innovative consultation mechanisms and processes, harmonized initiatives and voluntary agreements with the transportation industry.

“One of the auto industry’s goals is to continually enhance vehicle safety through engineering innovation, advances in vehicle design and cooperative voluntary agreements such as the ones we have signed with Transport Canada,” said Mark Nantais, President of the Canadian Vehicle Manufacturers Association. “The best opportunities for advancement of vehicle safety are through changes to driver behaviour and the introduction of advanced vehicle safety systems across the entire North American market given the integration of our industry,” Mr. Nantais continued.

Transport Canada’s first memorandum of understanding related to road safety was signed on March 6, 2001 with automobile manufacturers and importers. It dealt with side air bag systems, as they were becoming standard or optional safety equipment in front seats of vehicles.

“Our industry has a proven history of working cooperatively with Transport Canada to achieve public policy safety objectives that are valued by all Canadians through innovative regulatory initiatives, such as the voluntary agreements that have been signed today,” noted David Adams, President of the Association of International Automobile Manufacturers of Canada.

Motor vehicle safety memoranda of understanding allow Transport Canada to implement requirements more rapidly. This approach is particularly useful in accommodating rapid technological advances in industry.

For further information please contact:

Mark Nantais
President
Canadian Vehicle Manufacturers' Association
416.364.9333

David Adams
President
Association of International Automobile Manufacturers of Canada
416.595.8251, extension 22

Natalie Sarafian
Press Secretary
Office of the Minister of Transport, Infrastructure and Communities, Ottawa
613.991.0700

Anne-Marie Bouchard
Communications
Transport Canada, Ottawa
613.993.0055