No. H027/06
For release May 5, 2006
OTTAWA — Five projects designed to reduce greenhouse gas emissions in the
freight transportation sector have been selected to receive funding under
Transport Canada's Freight Sustainability Demonstration Program.
Lawrence Cannon, Minister of Transport, Infrastructure and Communities, today
announced that the selected projects will receive funding totalling
approximately $582,000. This funding will support a variety of initiatives
ranging from enhancing the fuel efficiency of aircraft engines to the management
of fuel consumption by trucking companies using a satellite tracking system.
"The companies awarded funding under this program have shown innovation and a
willingness to experiment," said Minister Cannon. "The results have the
potential to enhance not only our environment, but also the processes and
equipment that we use in freight transportation every day."
The following organizations will receive funding under the program: Freight Wing
Incorporated, Sunbury Transport Limited, Jazz Air Limited Partnership, Polymer
Distribution Incorporated and Ronald A. Chisholm Limited.
The Freight Sustainability Demonstration Program supports the demonstration and
evaluation of innovative tools, technologies and practices that have the
potential to reduce the growth of greenhouse gas emissions from the freight
transportation sector in Canada. The Government of Canada will contribute up to
50 per cent of eligible project expenses, to a maximum of $250,000, with
applicants and their partners contributing the remainder.
This announcement represents the eighth round of funding under the program, and
brings the total funding allocated under the program to approximately $4.7
million for 34 projects across Canada.
More information on the Freight Sustainability Demonstration Program is
available at www.tc.gc.ca/FSDP.
Backgrounders with information on the program and selected projects are
attached.
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Contact: Robin Browne
Communications
Transport Canada, Ottawa
(613) 993-0055
Transport Canada is online at www.tc.gc.ca. Subscribe to news releases and speeches at apps.tc.gc.ca/listserv/ and keep up-to-date on the latest from Transport Canada.
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BACKGROUNDER
FREIGHT SUSTAINABILITY DEMONSTRATION PROGRAM
The Freight Sustainability Demonstration Program supports the demonstration and
evaluation of innovative tools, technologies and practices that have the
potential to reduce the growth of greenhouse gas emissions in Canada's freight
transportation sector.
The program will allocate approximately $4.7 million between 2001 and 2007 for
projects that meet the program's criteria. Projects are eligible for a maximum
program contribution of $250,000 over two years. Government of Canada
contributions will cover up to 50 per cent of eligible project expenses, with
applicants and their partners contributing the remainder.
Transport Canada, together with Natural Resources Canada, selects projects to
receive funding under the program, taking into account the recommendations of an
advisory committee including representatives of other federal departments,
academic institutions, and other not-for-profit organizations.
All participants in the Freight Sustainability Demonstration Program are
required to monitor greenhouse gas emissions and report findings from their
projects to the program secretariat at Transport Canada.
Transport Canada will make information on successful technologies and best
practices available at conferences and other venues and on the Freight
Sustainability Demonstration Program website at www.tc.gc.ca/FSDP.
The Freight Sustainability Demonstration Program is part of the Freight
Efficiency and Technology Initiative, which includes a range of different
initiatives designed to reduce the growth of greenhouse gas emissions in the
freight transportation sector.
May 2006
PROJECTS FUNDED UNDER THE EIGHTH ROUND OF THE
FREIGHT SUSTAINABILITY DEMONSTRATION PROGRAM
The following projects have been selected for the eighth round of funding under
the Freight Sustainability Demonstration Program:
Freight Wing Incorporated / Fleet Trial Program
Project location: Across Canada
Freight Wing Inc. has been selected for funding of $70,000 to demonstrate to
Canadian trucking fleets the potential of aerodynamic trailer attachments to
reduce fuel consumption. The attachments consist of two wind deflectors attached
to the underside of trailers to prevent wind from hitting the rear wheels; and
one mounted on the front of the trailer that deflects the air around the
trailer's flat face. Successful trials may lead to large-scale installations on
participating fleets and could also serve to demonstrate to the Canadian
trucking industry the validity of these fuel-saving products.
Sunbury Transport Limited / Fuel & Efficiency (Idle-time and Speed)
Project location: Fredericton, New Brunswick
Sunbury Transport Ltd. has been selected for funding of $97,000 to demonstrate
the company's Fuel Efficiency Online Tool that assists its on-road fleet with
managing fuel consumption. Through a satellite tracking system, Sunbury gathers
data from the engine computer on each satellite-equipped truck. The information
captured includes data on miles per gallon, idling time and inter-trip idling,
among others. The information is sent each week to a secure website where
drivers can access personal performance data and compare that to the divisional
averages and the top 25 per cent of each fleet. The program aims to monitor fuel
consumption, reduce GHG emissions and increase profitability by reducing fuel
costs.
Jazz Air Limited Partnership / Safe Flight Auto Thrust System CRJ
Project location: Halifax International Airport, Nova Scotia
Jazz Air Limited Partnership has been selected for funding of $115,000 to
demonstrate the fuel efficiency potential of the Safe Flight Auto-Thrust System
on two CRJ 200 aircraft. This technology will continually monitor the aircraft's
thrust settings to ensure optimum performance and fuel savings. The
demonstration expects to realize savings of two per cent from Jazz Air's annual
fuel-operating budget or a reduction of nearly 10 million litres of fuel. If the
demonstration is successful, Jazz would proceed with installation on 72 Jazz CRJ
200 aircraft.
Polymer Distribution Incorporated / Demonstration Facility for Intermodal Rail
Shipping of Food Processing Chemicals
Project location: Guelph, Ontario
Polymer Distribution Inc. has been selected for funding of $250,000 to
demonstrate to shippers of food-grade chemicals (e.g. vegetable oils,
hydrochloric acid, food additives and food processing alcohol) the ability of
short haul railways to efficiently and effectively carry cargo that has been
traditionally moved by truck. The PDI demonstration will seek to remove 7,200 trucks from Highway 401
with a corresponding reduction of approximately 3,500 tonnes of greenhouse gas
emissions. A new facility will be set up on the recently closed, 14-acre
Huntsman plant in Guelph, Ontario. If the demonstration is successful and
shippers are willing to transfer products from truck transportation to rail cars
on a long-term basis, a larger intermodal operation could be established in
Guelph.
Ronald A. Chisholm Limited / Demonstration of Food Logistics Software
Project location: Toronto, Ontario
Ronald A. Chisholm Limited has been selected for funding of $50,000 to
demonstrate a web-based Traffic Document System designed to generate shipping
documents and associated logs that will expedite the movement of food products
among third-party truck, rail and ocean carriers, and storage, cross-dock and
customs operators. The goal is to improve shipping documentation (i.e., bills of
lading, various food quality and food safety procedures, and intermodal transit
restrictions) to align as many part-loads of commodities as possible into each
transporting unit and reduce fuel consumption and greenhouse gas emissions. Once
implemented, the new application would reduce transport border delays, ocean
trips, and dead runs by 20 per cent each, with corresponding reductions in fuel
use and greenhouse gas emissions.
May 2006
