Province launches investigation into Volkswagen Canada

Ontario's environment ministry is investigatingVolkswagen Canada and Audi Canada for selling cars with software
designed to bypass the vehicle's emissions controls.

The province is asking the company to detail whatever actions itplans to take to fix the cars sold in Ontario that don't meetemissions standards.

The ministry says VW and Audi Canada, owned by Volkswagen, mustfind an Ontario-specific solution to the software issue, and will beexpected to take action to make sure impacted cars meet theprovince's rules on emissions levels.

Volkswagen must also minimize any inconvenience and costs topeople who bought the cars in Ontario as it fixes the problem.

The government estimates there are 35,000 of the Volkswagen andAudi models in Ontario with the software that turns off theemissions control systems except when the vehicle is being tested.

The result is the cars that were sold as "clean diesel"vehicles actually exceed standards for nitrogen oxide emissions byup to 40 times.

Volkswagen admitted in September that up to 11 million vehiclesworldwide had the software that enabled cars to send false readingsduring emissions tests.

Volkswagen Canada suspended sales of Jetta, Passat and Golfmodels dating back to 2009 last month, the same time Audi Canadastopped selling its diesel-equipped A3.

The United States government ordered the company to recall half amillion cars in the U.S. after the Environmental Protection Agencydetermined VW used software to cheat on emissions testing.