Canada will impose new fuel consumption and emission standards for large rigs and work trucks, and these rules will be aligned with the United States, Environment Minister Jim Prentice says.

Speaking to reporters in Vancouver Friday, Prentice referred to the new standards as "a fully harmonized continental approach" — although Mexico is not yet on board with the policy.

"We're doing it on a continental basis, because, clearly, the transportation network in North America is integrated across the border, and it would not make sense for different standards in Canada and the United States," Prentice said.

The regulations will apply to new heavy-duty vehicles sold in Canada between the 2014 and 2018 model years. The government will come up with draft regulations by this fall and bring the new rules into effect by next year.

When those standards become law, Prentice said, they will apply to every heavy duty vehicle. "Such as garbage trucks. Buses as well. Dump trucks will be included. So too will full-size pickup trucks, as well as cement trucks, trucks that deliver freight, service vehicles … all the kinds of heavy duty trucks that you see in our economy."

However, some firms are making upgrades to their fleets ahead of the changes.

"In our truck fleet, we have 30 new trucks with the most up-to-date fuel-reduction emissions technology in place. We will bring them on board in July, and by the end of 2012, we will have replaced the entire fleet," said Neil McKenna, vice president of transportation for Canadian Tire.

That amounts to 70 big rigs based in Toronto and Montreal. The retail chain contracts out the rest of its trucking across the country and has a quarter million deliveries made to its stores every year.

McKenna said the trucking industry is prepared to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, but needs time to put it in place at the manufacturing level.

A total of 27 per cent of Canada's greenhouse gas emissions come from cars and trucks. About six per cent of that comes from heavy trucks, and that figure has increased more than 63 per cent since 1990 because the country is using more trucks — and fewer freight trains — to transport goods, Prentice said.

Earlier Friday, U.S. President Barack Obama made a similar announcement at the White House. He also ordered federal agencies that have already brought out new standards for cars and light trucks for the 2012-16 model years to begin work on even stronger rules for 2017 and beyond.

With the spreading oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico underscoring the urgency of reducing dependence on fossil fuels, Obama said he would like to see vehicles 20 years from now run on half the fuel they do today and produce half as much pollution.