AirCare is a vehicle emissions testing program in place in the Lower Mainland including the Greater Vancouver Regional District and the Fraser Valley Regional District of British Columbia. Drivers in these areas are required to demonstrate that their vehicle has recently passed an emissions test before they are permitted to renew their auto insurance. Auto insurance is mandatory for all vehicles operated on public roads throughout British Columbia. The program is administered by a subsidiary of TransLink, Pacific Vehicle Testing Technologies Ltd. The actual testing is carried out by Envirotest Canada, a Canadian subsidiary of ESP Global. Currently, vehicles manufactured before 1992 require testing yearly; newer vehicles are tested every two years up to the exempt model year. Vehicles with a model year of 1991 and prior pay the annual $23 fee, while vehicles with a model year of 1992 and greater, pay a fee of $45 once every two years. A passenger vehicle is exempt from the program for the first seven model years.
AirCare tests vehicles for the following regulated pollutants: hydrocarbons (HC), carbon monoxide (CO), oxides of nitrogen (NOx) and diesel particulate. They further claim to reduce the production of carbon dioxide as the repairs for cars that fail often also improves fuel economy. Each vehicle type and model year has its own pass/fail criteria based on the emission standards at the time the vehicle was built.
The AirCare program started in 1992 and has been operated by Envirotest Canada (formerly and then known as Ebco-Hamilton Partners), a ESP-Global company, since its development and construction in 1991. The program is a for-profit venture of Envirotest Canada which has received provincial government backing to administer the emissions program. Under this agreement ESP/Envirotest Canada are promised a guaranteed profit of at least 9% of revenue. The revenue and auditing of the program are handled by PVTT which takes in all revenue, takes its operating costs out and passes the rest of the sum on to ESP while also ensuring the sum includes at least 9% profit. PVTT and Translink are expected to make up any shortfalls in revenue that may occur with the recent testing price cut which will put further strain on BC taxpayers.
Residents of BC can now call up their previous test results online, through the aircare.ca website. This is highly recommended, since some car owners have found significant errors in test results, and odometer readings, etc. Vehicle owners will need to enter their VIN or registration number.
In 2012, the BC government made the decision to end testing of light cars and trucks and begin to test heavy-duty diesel vehicles at the end of 2014.