“The regulated sales targets for zero emission vehicles announced today will reduce emissions by helping more drivers get behind the wheel of an electric car.

“Right now, more than half of Canadians want their next car to be an electric vehicle but they face long wait times, with scarce supply going to provinces like British Columbia and Quebec, where sales mandates are already in place. The federal regulations will help shorten wait times for electric vehicles and plug-in hybrids by increasing supply in all provinces and territories. 

“The transportation sector is the second-largest source of carbon emissions in Canada, and more than half of those emissions come from cars and light-duty trucks. In 2021, the Canadian Climate Institute analyzed over 60 potential net zero scenarios in Canada—in every scenario, switching to zero-emission vehicles is a central part of the transition.

“While increased public transit and active transportation are also safe bets to reduce emissions in the sector, accelerating the shift to ZEVs, which the regulations will do, is crucial to driving down the transportation sector’s emissions and helping Canada meet its climate goals.”

– Anna Kanduth, Senior Research Associate, Canadian Climate Institute