Thank you for that question.
We will continue to pursue the sector-by-sector regulatory approach. That will allow us to protect both the environment and the economy. We're not taking a one-size-fits-all approach. Instead, we're tailoring our approaches to what makes sense for each sector. We are continuing to make good progress and are already seeing some positive results.
Regulations are in place in the two areas I mentioned in my opening remarks: transportation and electricity. As a result of the current and proposed greenhouse gas regulations for cars and trucks, the 2025 cars and light trucks will emit about half the amount of greenhouse gases of 2008, and new regulations for the 2018 model year heavy-duty vehicles will reduce greenhouse gas emissions by up to 23%.
For electricity, we finalized the regulations to address carbon dioxide and coal-fired electricity in September 2012. The stringent performance standards for new and end-of-life units will come into force on July 1, 2015. That makes Canada the first country to effectively ban the construction of traditional coal units. In fact, the first 21 years of these regulations are expected to result in a cumulative reduction in greenhouse gases of about 214 megatonnes, which is equivalent to 2.6 million personal vehicles being removed from the roads per year.
As well, in the Speech from the Throne, we confirmed that we're moving forward, working with the provinces, to deal with reducing emissions from the oil and gas sector.