Ok, first off the counter guy better have been certified to answer Drive Clean questions or he was misleading customers and spreading rumour. You have to have a minimum 1 Advisor trained in the Drive Clean Inspection process and customer relation, while you also need an Inspector to perform the tests. At least you got a nice guy for the inspection. From all the paperwork I have read for running E-test's, you will need a signed document from a dealership or like representative entity that would have sold your car "NEW", stating that the block - READ not motor - is not the original AND it was not commercially available in that chassis during the cars production. So, with that said this is what needs to happen to qualify, technically for both the shop and the customer.

Signed document from dealership showing block is not the original displacement block original to this car at any time during the production of that vehicle.
If the block is originally a 2.0L and you upgrade it with a stroker setup, but retain the block - this does NOT qualify - I would not know if anyone has contacted the Ministry to see if they do though!
If the block is originally a 1.6L and you upgrade by swapping in a 2.0L block, not commercially available in that chassis, then you qualify for HOT ROD status.
Guys with 350 chev blocks can mod their crank setup all they want, but unless they can prove the block is something like a 302 Ford block, they also would not comply with the HOT ROD standard.
Cars from 2000ish forward, that install a block other than stock, have to comply with a much stricter set of emissions and probably, from what I remember, the emissions for that year vehicle regardless of their motor. Much harder to get around that one around here, and be legitimate.

Now, the Drive Clean facility has to keep a copy of the document you provide on hand, in case the Ministry/Auditor decides to show up. For a number of reasons, Red Flags show up in the online upload process when your "Hot Rod" test is sent out via the modem line all Drive Clean machines are hooked in with to the main server. Much like when a 2 speed idle test is performed, this is also a Red Flag in the system. This just lets you know that the shop doing the test, could also be on the hook if they don't follow the proper procedures. This is what I know of the setup, and how it is run.
I have read the manuals and used because I am a ......... (fill in the blank) E-XXXX Inspector. The word you are looking for is "certified".

Random road side testing(?)document I found while searching for Online documents to back this up, but alas, only the paper copies in the DCF's (Driveclean Facilities) are where this is all printed.

http://www.ene.gov.on.ca/stdprodconsume/groups/lr/@ene/@resources/documents/resource/stdprod_080001.pdf


If you go in for an E-test and they pull any sort of stunt beyond what is written here, ask them to show you their book and the pages supporting that information. They must do it, and that book must be handy. Should be a large binder with lots of paper in it. If the shop refuses, you have the right to call the Ministry and complain and you can bet somebody other than you is going to get their wrists slapped.

I decided to write this because it sounds like a lot of misinformation is going around, and nobody seems to have an inside eye on this, except a rare few. This should all be public knowledge and there is no harm in posting this, nothing is hidden from the public in this regard, it just isn't on your side of the counter unless you ask for it specifically. I have seen documents provided to one customer that had a VR6 motor swap in a Jetta, but no emissions hooked in at any point. Fail, get us a document proving your car did not have that motor, and get some emissions - heck even just to make it look functional! Guy was in his 50's and getting his car tested 1 hour before having to be at the airport, or some such story. Calmly provide a piece of paper saying why the car cannot be tested at that time, and a photocopy of the document from the binder, stating exactly why he was prevented from even having the test run - Failed preliminary check. Unless the system has changed since I certified and even re-certified 1-2 years ago, this should all be good.

I am all for fun cars, but this guy did not have a clue, and a shop does not want a fine because the fines are BIG. Drive Clean is a no money making situation regardless .... except for the Government. This isn't a shot at anybody here, just saw the post I quoted here, and thought this may help.