GHG emissions in cars: Quebec plans to raise standards

The Quebec government is set to introduce two draft regulations aimed at increasing the requirements for the zero-emission vehicle (ZEV) standard.

The goal is to have 2 million electric cars on Quebec roads by 2030. The current target is 1.6 million electric cars in six years.

On Friday, Environment Minister Benoit Charette stated that the two draft regulations will be open to public consultation starting May 3. The government's ultimate aim is for 100 per cent of new vehicle sales to be all-electric by 2035.

According to the latest inventory of Quebec's greenhouse gas emissions in 2020, 42.8 per cent of the province's GHGs come from the transportation sector. Out of this, 20.4 per cent is due to light road transportation.

Charette stated that strengthening the ZEV standard, which was implemented five years ago, will be crucial in reaching the GHG reduction target. This standard requires automobile manufacturers to ensure the supply and availability of electric vehicles on the Quebec market, both in variety and in number, through a system of credits.

The popularity of electric vehicles has been on the rise in Quebec over the past few years. Last year, 12 per cent of newly registered individual vehicles were electric, compared to only 0.7 per cent in 2015.

As of three months ago, there were almost 171,000 all-electric or plug-in hybrid light-duty vehicles on Quebec roads, representing a 32 per cent increase from the same period the previous year.

Charrette announced the two draft regulations on the first day of the Montreal Electric Vehicle Show (SVEM), which will run until Sunday at the Olympic Stadium. The sixth edition of the show features several dozen electric cars on display.

- This report by The Canadian Press was first published in French on April 21, 2023