For the first time, the Canadian government will impose limits on locomotive emissions, a move it says will protect the environment and human health.

The rules announced by Transport Minister Marc Garneau on Friday will come into force after a comment period that ends in September, and will align with those of the United States.

The government says it will reduce harmful air pollutants and improve air quality for people who live and work adjacent to tracks and rail yards by reducing locomotive idling and imposing "increasingly stringent emission standards."

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A Transport Canada spokeswoman said the proposed regulations do not specify how the emissions will be reduced or what technology can be used.

"Technologies that could enable locomotives to meet the standards include exhaust gas recirculation and after-treatment technologies such as diesel particulate filters and selective catalytic reduction devices, for example," said Natasha Gauthier‎, adding railways will be required to ensure locomotives do not idle for more than 30 minutes, with some exceptions.

In a document accompanying the announcement, the government says the transportation industry generated 56 per cent of all nitrogen oxides and 9 per cent of all particulate matter. "Of these amounts, rail transportation was responsible for 11.1 per cent of [nitrogen oxides] and 4.6 per cent of [particulate matter] emissions."

Both major Canadian rail carriers, Canadian Pacific Railway Ltd. and Canadian National Railway Co., have extensive U.S. operations and their trains cross the border regularly. For this reason, many Canadian locomotives are already built to U.S. standards, the government said. "The alignment of emission standards for locomotives for the Canadian and U.S. rail industries would reflect this highly integrated nature," the Department of Transport said.

Small railways that carry freight or passengers would be exempt from some of the new rules, given they often run locomotives built before 1973.

A review of the Canadian transportation regime released this year called for Canada to harmonize its rail safety regulations with those of the U.S. The U.S. is phasing in a rule that requires locomotives hauling hazardous goods use fail-safe technology that can override human error. Other rules coming into force or in place include electronically controlled brakes on tank cars and in-cab video recorders.

Mr. Garneau has said he will review the recommendations in the report.

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CN said it would review the new rules before commenting on them.

"CN – and the Canadian rail industry – have done much on their own to reduce the carbon footprint of rail operations, including reducing locomotive fuel consumption and emissions," said spokesman Mark Hallman.

"As for CN, the company has achieved a 36 per cent improvement in fuel and carbon efficiency in the last 20 years … while experiencing significant traffic growth over that period. CN also continues to lead the rail industry in fuel efficiency, consuming 15 per cent less fuel per gross ton mile than the industry average."

The emissions rules come at a time the North American rail industry is facing a 10-per-cent decline in freight shipments, as demand for bulk commodities and consumer goods declines. All major railways have stored hundreds of locomotives and laid off employees.