OTTAWA - The government's new regulations to limit greenhouse gases spewed from the tailpipes of cars and light trucks won't help already declining emissions, according to a new report by the Pembina Institute.

The regulations were announced April 1. The government said they were “tough” and would protect the environment.

But an analysis done by the Pembina Institute indicates Canadian cars and trucks already have lower greenhouse gas emissions than the standards set by the government. And they're expected to keep declining - lower than the new standards ¬ for at least the next three years.

Further, car companies get credits for outperforming emissions standards, which they can apply until 2016, so they may not have to make any changes at all, said Pembina's Matthew Bramley.

Bramley said the analysis is based on the best publicly available information.

But with a complicated range of standards, depending on a vehicle's wheel base, coupled with sales projections Environment Canada won't release, he warns Pembina had to make some assumptions.

“This is the opposite of transparency,” Bramley said.

“Canada is clearly not showing leadership in this area. We think that's disappointing,” he said, recommending the government go to a single standard for entire car fleets.

A spokesman for Environment Minister Jim Prentice said the regulations are realistic, ambitious and in line with the U.S.

“(Pembina's analysis) wasn't the analysis of other major environmental groups in Canada and the U.S.,” said Frederic Baril in an e-mail to QMI Agency.

“The proposed regulations ... will contribute greatly to reducing vehicle (greenhouse gases) in Canada and the U.S.,” he said.

Bramley says emissions from Canadian cars were already lower than those of the U.S.

Passenger cars and light trucks, including SUVs and minivans, make up 12% of Canada's greenhouse gas emissions.

laura.payton@sunmedia.ca