Vancouver port authority suspends Rolling Truck Age Program for at least nine months | Canada News Media
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Vancouver port authority suspends Rolling Truck Age Program for at least nine months

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The Vancouver Fraser Port Authority is suspending a controversial program to replace older trucks servicing the port for at least another nine months while it reassesses its plans.

It is the third time the port is postponing the Rolling Truck Program, which was supposed to begin April 3 to phase out trucks more than 12 years old to improve air quality and community health.

Truckers who use the port say the onus is on owners and operators to replace the older vehicles at a steep cost, even though many of them already meet emissions standards.

The port authority says the decision comes because of the state of the economy and ongoing issues related to the pandemic but it plans to explore new technologies and will reassess its emissions-reduction strategy.

The latest delay comes after four Liberal MPs wrote letters to Transport Minister Omar Alghabra expressing their frustration over the program and asking him to intervene.

In a statement on Twitter, Alghabra said the Liberal government is committed to working with both the port authority and truck drivers to find a common path forward.

A letter from Surrey, B.C., MP Randeep Sarai earlier this week said he has met with truckers who have complied with the new measures but still find it unreasonable and worry about the requirement to replace more vehicles from their fleets down the road.

Other Liberal MPs from the area, including Sukh Dhaliwal, Parm Bains and John Aldag, sent similar letters.

Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre called on Prime Minister Justin Trudeau to direct Alghabra to “immediately cancel” the program in a statement on Thursday.

“Justin Trudeau’s out-of-touch government is supporting another back-breaking policy at the Port of Vancouver that will further drive up the cost of goods,” Poilievre said.

Gagan Singh, a spokesperson for the United Truckers Association, said he wants the program scrapped entirely, and called on the federal government to facilitate talks with the port.

For others, news of the delay is “unfortunate.” Dave Earle, president and CEO of the British Columbia Trucking Association, said people knew the change was coming.

“The vast majority of operators have already chosen to make the investment necessary to reduce their (greenhouse gas) profile,” said Earle. “While the transition is difficult to do, certainly, it’s been in the works for a long time.”

Earle said newer vehicles are more fuel efficient and have lower greenhouse gas emissions.

“We’ve talked with every level of government about supporting the industry and accelerating fleet turnover — that is one of the best things we can do,” said Earle.

He remains “deeply hopeful” that the program will eventually happen.

Although the legislation was introduced under Stephen Harper’s former Conservative government, implementation of the program happened under the current government.

In a press release, the Port of Vancouver said it will consider new technologies and federal and provincial “fleet greening programs.” It also intends to reassess its emissions-reduction strategy.

The port said 85 per cent of truck operators are compliant with requirements of the program, which it estimates has led to a 79 per cent reduction in diesel particulate matter.

The port has also said in a previous press release that once trucks built before 2009 have been removed, it expects to see a reduction of about 15,000 tonnes of greenhouse gases being released each year, including 575 tonnes of smog-forming nitrogen oxide and 37 tonnes of carcinogenic particulate matter.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Feb. 24, 2023.

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RCMP arrest second suspect in deadly shooting east of Calgary

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EDMONTON – RCMP say a second suspect has been arrested in the killing of an Alberta county worker.

Mounties say 28-year-old Elijah Strawberry was taken into custody Friday at a house on O’Chiese First Nation.

Colin Hough, a worker with Rocky View County, was shot and killed while on the job on a rural road east of Calgary on Aug. 6.

Another man who worked for Fortis Alberta was shot and wounded, and RCMP said the suspects fled in a Rocky View County work truck.

Police later arrested Arthur Wayne Penner, 35, and charged him with first-degree murder and attempted murder, and a warrant was issued for Strawberry’s arrest.

RCMP also said there was a $10,000 reward for information leading to the arrest of Strawberry, describing him as armed and dangerous.

Chief Supt. Roberta McKale, told a news conference in Edmonton that officers had received tips and information over the last few weeks.

“I don’t know of many members that when were stopped, fuelling up our vehicles, we weren’t keeping an eye out, looking for him,” she said.

But officers had been investigating other cases when they found Strawberry.

“Our investigators were in O’Chiese First Nation at a residence on another matter and the major crimes unit was there working another file and ended up locating him hiding in the residence,” McKale said.

While an investigation is still underway, RCMP say they’re confident both suspects in the case are in police custody.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 13, 2024.

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26-year-old son is accused of his father’s murder on B.C.’s Sunshine Coast

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RICHMOND, B.C. – The Integrated Homicide Investigation Team says the 26-year-old son of a man found dead on British Columbia’s Sunshine Coast has been charged with his murder.

Police say 58-year-old Henry Doyle was found badly injured on a forest service road in Egmont last September and died of his injuries.

The homicide team took over when the BC Coroners Service said the man’s death was suspicious.

It says in a statement that the BC Prosecution Service has approved one count of first-degree murder against the man’s son, Jackson Doyle.

Police say the accused will remain in custody until at least his next court appearance.

The homicide team says investigators remained committed to solving the case with the help of the community of Egmont, the RCMP on the Sunshine Coast and in Richmond, and the Vancouver Police Department.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 13, 2024.

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Metro Vancouver’s HandyDART strike continues after talks break with no deal

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VANCOUVER – Mediated talks between the union representing HandyDART workers in Metro Vancouver and its employer, Transdev, have broken off without an agreement following 15 hours of talks.

Joe McCann, president of Amalgamated Transit Union Local 1724, says they stayed at the bargaining table with help from a mediator until 2 a.m. Friday and made “some progress.”

However, he says the union negotiators didn’t get an offer that they could recommend to the membership.

McCann says that in some ways they are close to an agreement, but in other areas they are “miles apart.”

About 600 employees of the door-to-door transit service for people who can’t navigate the conventional transit system have been on strike since last week, pausing service for all but essential medical trips.

McCann asks HandyDART users to be “patient,” since they are trying to get not only a fair contract for workers but also a better service for customers.

He says it’s unclear when the talks will resume, but he hopes next week at the latest.

The employer, Transdev, didn’t reply to an interview request before publication.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 13, 2024.

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