Car Heaven Alberta - Final Resting Place for Older Vehicles

Climate Change Central, in partnership with the Clean Air Foundation, has launched a campaign to encourage Alberta drivers to turn in their older, polluting vehicles for scrapping and recycling.

Lorne Taylor, Alberta's Environment Minister and co-chair of Climate Change Central, opened the gates of Car Heaven Alberta by crushing a '79 Pontiac at a Calgary auto recycling-yard today.

"Increasing the public's awareness of where greenhouse gas emissions come from is an important part of the Alberta government's climate change action plan," said Taylor. "Car Heaven Alberta provides an option and incentives for Albertans who may be able to dispose of their older model truck or car."

Car Heaven Alberta aims to take as many as 1500 older vehicles off the streets of Calgary and Edmonton over the next year, reducing smog and greenhouse gas emissions. The program hopes to make Albertans more aware of how much air pollution comes from older vehicles and encourage a switch to more efficient forms of transportation.

"The type and age of the vehicles we drive make a lot of difference to the environment," says Allan Amey, President and CEO of Climate Change Central. "Just 10 per cent of the vehicles on our roads in Calgary produce half of the overall vehicle emissions."

The program opens in Calgary, where motorists scrapping vehicles 13 years and older, will be eligible for incentives such as bus passes, credit towards purchase of a bicycle, and prize draws. Incentives for the Edmonton campaign will be announced later in October. The campaign will run for the next three years, with plans to expand into other Alberta locations if funds are available.

"Car Heaven is dedicated not only to accelerating the retirement of old high polluting vehicles but also to promoting a shift to more sustainable modes of transportation," says Ersilia Serafini, Car Heaven Program Manager, Clean Air Foundation. "From an air quality perspective, public transit, bicycles or hybrid vehicles are far more sustainable than any vehicle over 13 years old."

Car Heaven has retired over 10,000 vehicles in Ontario over the past three years. The Alberta program also draws on the success of a 2002 pilot vehicle scrappage program, Breathe Easy, which removed more than 500 polluting vehicles from Calgary.

"We are very pleased to be partnering with Climate Change Central and the Clean Air Foundation in this very important campaign," said Calgary Transit Director John Hubbell. "The Breathe Easy program was very successful and we're happy to assist with Car Heaven Alberta by offering free transit passes to those who qualify."

To qualify for Car Heaven incentives, cars must be at least 13 years old, roadworthy, driveable and insured for the past 12 months. Cars that don't meet these criteria but can still be towed will be eligible for a $50.00 donation receipt from the Kidney Foundation - Alberta Chapter. A prize of a 2004 Ford Focus will be drawn later this year from the list of donors to the national Car Heaven program.

A call centre (1-888-441-CARS) has been established to process applications. On-line registration forms are available at www.carheaven.ca.

Environment Canada is a contributing sponsor and Calgary Transit is offering six-month bus passes to qualified vehicle donors. The Bike Shop will provide credit vouchers to a maximum $300 and Pick Your Part will operate the call centre, vehicle scrappage and recycling.

Car Heaven Alberta is being led by Climate Change Central, a private-public partnership that coordinates and encourages activities to reduce greenhouse gas emissions in Alberta, and the Clean Air Foundation, a not-for-profit organization dedicated to developing, implementing and managing public engagement programs and other strategic initiatives that lead to measurable improvements in air quality. For more information visit www.cleanairfoundation.org or www.climatechangecentral.com.

For further information, contact: Paul Hunt Vice President Climate Change Central (780) 408-4582 Val Mellesmoen Communications Director Alberta Environment (780) 427-6267

Ersilia Serafini Car Heaven Program Manager Clean Air Foundation 416.922.9038 Ext.42 eserafini@cleanairfoundation.org