Owners of older forklifts, excavators and other non-road diesel engines have until the end of January 2020 to register their equipment with Metro Vancouver in order to continue using them across the region. Metro Vancouver requires all Tier 0 and Tier 1 non-road diesel engines, which have little-to-no emission controls, to be registered and labelled as part of its Non-Road Diesel Engine Emission Regulation Bylaw, introduced in 2012 to manage emissions and protect the region’s overall air quality. Non-road diesel engines are commonly used in construction, industrial and commercial activity or are stationary machines that are not used for transportation on public roads. The bylaw initially applied to all Tier 0 engines – built prior to 1996 and lacking any emissions controls – which had to be registered by 2014. The new deadline is for Tier 1 engines, built between 1996 and 2003 with basic emissions controls, and is set for January 31, 2020. Failure to comply with the regulation could result in fines of up to $200,000. Tier 1 engines that have not been registered (including payment of fees), will not be able to operate after this date. “Metro Vancouver is leading the way in Canada with this regulation – these prohibitions are the strictest that Metro Vancouver has implemented to date,” said Adriane Carr, Chair of Metro Vancouver’s Climate Action Committee. “They’re essential as diesel engine exhaust is a leading air quality threat to human health in Metro Vancouver. Not only is diesel exhaust linked to cancer and premature death, but it also contributes to climate change. These prohibitions will protect human health across our region as well as our environment.” Once inhaled, fine particulate matter emissions from diesel engines, often referred to as "diesel soot," can embed in the lungs or pass directly into the bloodstream. Public health and air pollution studies estimate diesel soot emissions are responsible for 67% of the lifetime cancer risks from air pollution in Metro Vancouver. Since 2012, over 4,000 older engines have been registered in the region. In order to operate in Metro Vancouver, engine owners must pay fees based on the engine Tier rating and horsepower. The registration and labelling requirements of the bylaw do not currently apply to newer Tier 2, Tier 3 or Tier 4 engines. Information on the program, or to register older non-road diesel engines, can be found on Metro Vancouver’s website.