Canada's environment minister unveiled Tuesday new regulations to improve fuel efficiency and halve the greenhouse gas emissions of passenger vehicles and light trucks.

The tougher standards, which must still be approved by parliament, would apply to model years 2017 to 2025 and align Canada's regulatory regime with the United States.

"By 2025 new cars will consume 50 percent less fuel and emit 50 percent less greenhouse gases than a similar 2008 model, leading to significant savings at the pump," Minister Peter Kent said in a statement.

"At today's gas prices, a Canadian driving a model year 2025 vehicle would pay, on average, around $900 less per year compared to driving today's new vehicles," he said.

The proposed regulations, building on measures already in place for model years 2011 to 2016, would establish progressively more stringent emissions standards over the 2017 to 2025 model years.

Canada's transport ministry has said cars and light trucks are responsible for 12 percent of the nation's greenhouse gases, linked to global warming.