Canadian prosecutors are seeking a substantial penalty for Volkswagen regarding the emissions issue.
In December, Volkswagen was charged for bringing in more than 128,000 vehicles that did not meet Canada’s emissions standards. The company admitted guilt amidst a larger global scandal involving its vehicles’ emissions. To date, Volkswagen has already paid over €30 billion in fines.
Last month, Volkswagen reached a potential settlement agreement with Canadian regulators. Nevertheless, the company was found guilty on 60 charges of violating the Canadian Environmental Protection Act, including providing false information. Canadian prosecutors are now urging for a fine of CAD $196.5 million.
The emissions scandal involving Volkswagen has been ongoing since 2015 when the company acknowledged using software to manipulate emissions tests in its cars. This confession triggered a slew of legal actions against the company worldwide. Volkswagen later disclosed that approximately 11 million vehicles were affected by the deceptive software. Just recently, Poland’s consumer watchdog fined Volkswagen 120 million Polish Zloty.