Canada hoping to keep green house gas emissions in check with new regulations for fuel efficiency in newer model vehicles.

Environment Minister Peter Kent announcing today that passenger vehicles for model years 2017 to 2025 will be subject to greater fuel efficiency requirements, In hopes of establishing more stringent GHG emission standards.

"These new regulations improve fuel efficiency so that by 2025 new cars will consume 50% less fuel and emit 50% less GHGs than a similar 2008 model, leading to significant savings at the pump," said Minister Kent. "At today's gas prices, a Canadian driving a model year 2025 vehicle would pay, on average, around $900 less per year compared to driving today's new vehicles."

The proposed regulations are expected to reduce greenhouse gases by 162 mega-tonnes in the 8 year period.

Canada has committed to reducing GHG emissions by 17 per cent from 2005 levels by the year 2020, but nationally we have only reached the half-way point.

On a Global scale, current greenhouse gas levels are hovering 14 per cent above the benchmark set for 2020.