Highlights

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1. Greenhouse gas emissions (GHG) from private vehicle operation reached 70,774 kilotonnes (kt) of CO₂ equivalent (eq) in 2007, an increase of 3% from the 2006 level.
2. Compared to the 1990 emissions level of 52,256 kt, emissions in 2007 have gone up 35%, almost twice the growth rate of population (19%) during the same period.
3. Among the three greenhouse gases that are emitted by vehicles, carbon dioxide (CO₂) accounted for 98%, while methane (CH₄) and nitrous oxide (N₂O) accounted for the balance.
4. In 2005, the year for which the most recent published data are available for total household emissions, the share of private vehicle GHG emissions was 63%, almost eight percentage points higher than its share in 1990.
5. The most significant drop (1,120 kt) in the year-over-year growth of emissions since 1990 was recorded for 1991. The three most significant year-over-year increases during the 1990–2007 period happened in 1998, 2002 and 2007.
6. Every dollar of personal expenditure on motor fuels generated 3.2 kilograms (kg) of vehicle emissions in 2007. In other words, GHG intensity (the proportion of household vehicle emissions to household expenditure on motor fuels) was 3.2 kg in 2007, essentially unchanged from the 2006 level.
7. Canada's per capita GHG emissions from private vehicles reached 2,149 kg in 2007. This was 2% higher than 2006, but 14% higher than the 1990 level of 1,887 kg per capita.
8. In 2007, households with annual income of $20,000 to $49,999 (lower middle income) contributed the most to vehicle emission levels, accounting for 35% (19,858 kt) of the total. This was mainly because of the size of the population of the group (31%), the largest of all the income groups.
9. While representing only 19% of the population, high-income households (households with annual income of $100,000 and over) had the highest per capita emissions in 2007, generating 5,737 kg of GHG per capita.
10. Private vehicles in Ontario emitted 22,384 kt of GHGs from the combustion of gasoline and diesel in 2007, the highest of all the provinces. Quebec, Alberta and British Columbia followed with 12,274 kt, 7,073 kt, and 6,802 kt respectively. Prince Edward Island had the lowest emissions, at 251 kt.
11. On a per capita basis, Saskatchewan led with 2,184 kg per capita followed by Alberta, Manitoba and Nova Scotia. All four provinces were at or above the 2,000 kg per capita mark.
12. Among census metropolitan areas (CMA), Toronto had the highest total emissions level of 6,760 kt. This represented 20% of the total private vehicle emissions of vehicles in all CMAs. Toronto was followed by Montréal at 4,430 kt and Vancouver at 2,599 kt. All three are large urban centres with higher numbers of private vehicles.
13. Montréal had the lowest per capita emissions (1,219 kg) among CMAs, mostly the result of the composition of its fuel-efficient fleet, both in terms of vehicle model year and body type.
14. Kingston and Greater-Sudbury were among the CMAs with the highest per capita emissions, at 3,035 kg per capita and 2,844 kg per capita respectively.