Drive Clean gets serious- $100,000 fine

On June 15, 2009, Maria Mota, Jorge Mota and Mota Car Sales Inc. pleaded guilty to a six offences under the Environmental Protection Act with respect to the Drive Clean Program.  They were fined a total of $100,000 plus the 25% victim fine surcharge, for a total of $125,000.

The Motas run a car dealership in Hamilton, Ontario. They submitted false information to the Ministry of the Environment’s Drive Clean Program, namely false Northern Ontario addresses for individuals who lived in Southern Ontario. The Drive Clean program does not apply to Northern Ontario. Thus, the Motas helped their clients circumvent Drive Clean requirements, and keep driving cars that caused excessive air pollution.

Previous Drive Clean fines had tended to be modest, despite the financial incentive to cheat. This $125,000 penalty should make cheating less attractive.