Time to make polluters pay

California has some of the toughest pollution laws on this continent. Ontario has just ended vehicle emission pollution inspections. That sounds like a regressive step, perhaps it is, but it rid the province of old oil-burning vehicles on its highways.

Even today if you drive a polluter down the 401 highway you are likely to be pulled over by the OPP. So why here on P.E.I. do we have no checks on the many smoke polluting vehicles.

Almost every time I’m on the roads I see an old truck pouring black smoke into the air. I see cars and trucks that clearly would not pass a motor vehicle safety check let alone an emissions check. Many farms run old heavy trucks that are not required to be licensed or inspected.

They are in many cases not fit to be on our roads. Why not, instead of a carbon tax, begin government operated vehicle emission inspection stations.

A place to check vehicle emissions, where a vehicle must qualify before a license plate is issued. This would seem a fair way to pay for our carbon foot print rather than taxing everyone. Many drivers today drive hybrids or fuel-efficient cars. We use heat pumps, ride bicycles or walk. The majority of islanders recycle, many clean the beaches and byways, people do care. However, there will always be that element that don’t care, those are the ones who should pay the bulk of the taxes. Just my views on our Island roads. Who would agree?

F. Ben Rodgers, Abram Village