EGR Delete Kit/Race Pipe and Emissions Testing

I have an annoying and quite apparent exhaust leak somewhere in the engine bay (2000 ALH), I'm guessing it's the EGR valve or the EGR cooler or likely both (there's soot and oil in a lot of different places along the EGR system).

I'm thinking of deleting the whole EGR system with the race pipe and delete kit. Questions:

1. Since Ontario has changed to a more stringent emissions testing, are those of you that have deleted your EGR system passing the test? I read/heard something about the OBD2 readiness failing or testing being able to detect the delete software? If there's some way around this please let me know, I really don't want to be smelling exhaust fumes anymore nor do I want to buy a completely new EGR system to stop all the leaks.

2. If there is some way around the testing, where is the best/cheapest place to buy the delete kit? Does Buzzken still sell them?

3. Will I need a tune to not get a CEL? Right now my EGR is turned down via vagcom and I have the vacuum line unplugged to the EGR valve and I don't get any codes.

I appreciate any help/insight, I know there's a lot of threads on this but I couldn't find any recent ones that are relevant to Ontario since new emission standards have come into place.

Delete whatever you want to delete.
Get a tune so all the readiness codes are bypassed and no CEL's.

Check your downpipe, most likely cause of soot.

2Many- I had it checked by a muffler shop on the hoist and they said it was fine, I'm surprised bc it's original, but if I do an EGR delete and a leak still exisits than it's the obvious culprit.

Be aware that if you get rid of your egr cooler your going to impact your heat in the winter. Worst decision I made was deleting my cooler. If I could do it all over again I'd get the dynamic egr tune or block my egr valve off and leave my cooler hooked up.

The flex on the downpipe can look like it's still intact, but is still leaking - there will not be a lot of noise with the leak, gas cars are very noisy and easy to diagnose with bad flexpipes, diesels not so much - a muffler tech unfamiliar with diesels can miss a bad TDI downpipe easily.