Canadian Environment Minister Jim Prentice released Thursday Canada's tough new proposed regulations to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from new vehicles beginning with the 2011 model year.

The regulations are projected that the average GHG emission performance of new vehicles of the 2016 model year will be about 25 percent lower than the vehicles that were sold in Canada in 2008.

Prentice said at a reception in Donnelly Ford in Ottawa that the proposed Passenger Automobile and Light Truck Greenhouse Gas Emission Regulations is a new step in the process of GHG emissions reduction,

These new regulations, which harmonize with the mandatory national standards of the United States, will deliver certainty to the automotive industry and will require significant technological improvements to vehicles to reduce GHG emissions.

"These improvements are expected to result in a cumulative reduction of 92 Mt CO2e in GHG emissions over the lifetime of the 2011-2016 model year vehicles sold in Canada," Prentice said.

Following a 60-day formal public comment period, final regulations are expected to be published this summer and to come into effect for the 2011 model year.

"Since last May, we've been working with the United States to put in place tough North American standards for regulating greenhouse gas emissions from new vehicles," Prentice said.

"We are pleased to be taking this step to further harmonize our climate change action with the Obama administration -- a step that will protect our environment and ensure a level playing field for the automotive industry," he added.

Canada released draft regulations in December 2009 for consultations with its provinces, territories and stakeholders, whose views have been taken into account in the development of the new proposed regulations.

Canada, whose cars and light trucks account for about 12 percent of total GHG emissions, is committed to reducing its greenhouse gas emissions by 17 percent from 2005 levels by 2020.