City won't remain idle

Sudbury's new operations committee will look at developing a bylaw to control motor vehicle idling.

The new committee meets for the first time tonight. Idling has been on the city's radar for years. According to a report, in 2008, the city approved an idling control policy for municipal employees and contractors. The policy requires drivers to limit vehicle idling to a maximum of three minutes, under most circumstances.

Over the past few years, the city’s fleet services and transit services have also initiated a number of actions that will contribute to decreased idling time of the city fleet. Various driver-training modules designed to reduce fuel use and cut emissions have been used to train city staff. The city has worked with the Fleet Challenge Ontario program, as well as NRCAN’s FleetSmart initiative.

In August 2010, representatives of the Coalition for a Liveable Sudbury presented to the city policy committee the benefits of an idling control bylaw, and it was recommended that a report be put together in co-operation with the Sudbury and District Health Unit, Coalition for a Liveable Sudbury and EarthCare Sudbury.

Vehicle engines produce a number of undesirable air emissions when in operation, and tailpipes emit criteria air contaminants, such as volatile organic compounds (VOCs), carbon monoxide (CO), and oxides of nitrogen (NOx) that contribute to air pollution and have detrimental health effects on people and the environment, according to the report that will be presented to the operations committee.

Research also indicates that Canadian motorists idle their vehicles an average of six to eight minutes a day.

City staff met on several occasions to discuss idling control strategies and issues, and researched what other Ontario municipalities had undertaken in terms of idling control, including approaches to and experiences with enacting a bylaw.

Should a new bylaw come into effect, it would likely be preceded by an education campaign.

Posted by Arron Pickard