Making electric vehicles more affordable for Quebeckers and Quebec businesses

From: Environment and Climate Change Canada

News release

April 14, 2022 – Saint-Jérôme, Quebec

Growing a cleaner, stronger economy and fighting climate change requires helping Canadians and businesses make the switch to electric vehicles that reduce our dependence on fossil fuels and cut greenhouse gas pollution.

Today, the Minister of Environment and Climate Change, the Honourable Steven Guilbeault, highlighted the Government’s plan to invest $547.5 million over four years to launch a new purchase incentive program for medium- and heavy-duty zero-emission vehicles to help businesses upgrade their fleets.

Minister Guilbeault made the announcement at Lion Electric, a Canadian-based manufacturer and innovator specializing in zero-emission vehicles. Minister Guilbeault was joined by Yannick Poulin, Chief Operating Officer of Lion Electric.

Budget 2022 proposes a number of measures to reduce emissions from transportation by making zero-emission vehicles (ZEV) more affordable for Canadians and Canadian businesses:

  • $1.7 billion to extend the Incentives for Zero-Emission Vehicles Program until March  2025 to help more Canadians get behind the wheel of zero-emission vehicles.
  • A $500 million investment by the Canada Infrastructure Bank in large-scale urban and commercial ZEV charging and refuelling infrastructure.
  • $400 million over five years, starting in 2022–23, to fund the deployment of ZEV charging infrastructure in suburban and remote communities through the Zero-Emission Vehicle Infrastructure Program (ZEVIP).

Quotes

“Transportation accounts for 41 percent of the polluting greenhouse gases we emit in Quebec. Helping Quebeckers make the switch to electric vehicles is absolutely essential to reduce our dependence on fossil fuels and building a low carbon economy. That’s why our Government is making it easier for Quebeckers and Quebec businesses to purchase medium- and heavy-duty electric vehicles.”

– The Honourable Steven Guilbeault, Minister of Environment and Climate Change

Quick facts

  • According to the Canada Energy Regulator, as of 2018, Quebec’s average consumption of refined petroleum products was 2,682 litres per capita.

  • The largest emitting sectors in Quebec are transportation at 41 percent of emissions, heavy industries at 25 percent, and buildings at 14 percent.

  • The Government will launch an integrated strategy to reduce emissions from medium- and heavy-duty vehicles (MHDV)—such as trucks and buses—with the aim of reaching 35 percent of total MHDV sales being ZEVs by 2030.

  • The Government will work with provinces and territories to develop and harmonize regulations and to conduct safety testing for long-haul zero-emission trucks.

  • To help decarbonize vehicles already on the road, Budget 2022 proposes to provide $199.6 million over five years, starting in 2022–23, to expand the Green Freight Assessment Program, which will be renamed the Green Freight Program. This will support assessments and retrofits of more vehicles and a greater diversity of fleet and vehicle types.

  • The Government will also support municipal transit agencies and school boards in transitioning their bus fleets to zero-emission technology by supporting the planning, purchase and deployment of at least 5,000 zero-emission buses, and the associated infrastructure.

Associated links

Contacts

Kaitlin Power
Press Secretary
Office of the Minister of Environment and Climate Change
819-230-1557
Kaitlin.Power@ec.gc.ca

Media Relations
Environment and Climate Change Canada
819-938-3338 or 1-844-836-7799 (toll-free)
media@ec.gc.ca

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Environment and Climate Change Canada’s Facebook page

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