AirCare (emissions program)

AirCare was an initiative started in 1992 to improve air quality in British Columbia, Canada through the systematic testing of road vehicles in order to reduce their emissions. Light-duty vehicles were suggested to be the biggest contributors to air pollutants that form smog and a small percentage of vehicles were contributing a large percentage of the pollutants. AirCare ran for 22 years and was cancelled on December 31, 2014. AirCare was cancelled due to the fact that new vehicles were continuously becoming more eco-friendly, and the percentage of old cars on the road was decreasing.

The AirCare emissions program was started in order to reduce carbon emissions by vehicles. Many car models had to pass yearly or biyearly AirCare inspections. The aimed to prevent old cars with high emissions to drive on the road without necessary repairs, thus protecting the air quality and lowering British Columbia's carbon footprint. AirCare was not considered a for-profit program, and charged just enough to cover its costs. For example, in 2013 AirCare was charging $45 per test, but at the start of 2014 demand and therefore cost for the AirCare emissions test dropped to $36. In 2014, the price continued to drop $2 a month, and by December 2014, as the program was about to be cancelled, the price had dropped to $14.

The AirCare emissions program was first started in 1992. The aim of this program was to actively monitor all vehicle emissions, and prevent cars with high levels of emissions from driving on the road. This was meant to decrease emissions and allow BC residents to breathe cleaner air. When AirCare was originally passed, all cars manufactured in 1991 or prior had to undergo AirCare evaluation and obtain a passing result yearly. Cars made in 1992 or later had to undergo inspection and obtain a passing result every two years. In order to check if a vehicle needed inspection, any vehicle owner could consult their Insurance Corporation of British Columbia (ICBC) notice to renew document which would have contained the new AirCare "pass" date required to renew a vehicle owner's insurance.

Each vehicle type and model year tested for AirCare had its own pass/fail criteria that were dependent on the emissions standards at the time said vehicle was built. AirCare tested for levels of hydrocarbons, carbon monoxide, oxides of nitrogen and diesel particulates. Certain vehicles that were considered light-duty were exempt from AirCare. Such vehicles included:

...
Wikipedia