All new passenger cars, SUVs and pick-up trucks sold in Canada will be required to be zero emission vehicles (ZEV) by 2035, according to new proposed regulations announced today by Minister of Environment and Climate Change, Steven Guilbeault.

The announcement follows the release earlier this year by the Government of Canada of its 2030 Emissions Reduction Plan, outlining its strategy to achieve its interim climate goals to cut GHG emissions by 40% – 45% by 2030. The strategy included plans to ZEV sales mandates for light vehicles, alongside other transport electrification moves including funding for charging stations and infrastructure and for EV incentives.

Guilbeault said:

“Zero-emission vehicles are where the rubber hits the road for cost-conscious Canadians who want to help the environment while getting off the roller-coaster of high gasoline prices.”

In addition to the 2035 target, Canada also introduced a series of interim ZEV sales mandates, requiring ZEVs to make up 20% of new vehicle sales by 2026, and 60% by 2030. According to a government statement, the targets are aimed at helping increase ZEV supply for consumers.

According to a government estimate, the new mandate will result in cumulative greenhouse gas emissions reductions of 430 million tonnes between 2026 and 2050.

With the announcement of the new sales mandates, Canada joins several other jurisdictions that have introduced their own ZEV requirements, including the EU, the UK, and the US.

Additional initiatives announced by Canada at accelerating the transition to ZEVs included investments in an additional 50,000 EV charging stations to reach 87,000 federally funded chargers by 2027, and the renewal of a program providing consumers and businesses up to $5,000 and $10,000, respectively, towards the cost of buying or leasing a ZEV.

Omar Alghabra, Minister of Transport, said:

“Helping Canadians make the switch to zero-emission vehicles is crucial for reaching our climate goals: it keeps our air clean, helps people save money, all while positioning Canada as a leader on building cleaner vehicles.”

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