B.C. aiming for 100% zero-emission vehicle sales 5 years earlier than planned
The B.C. government is moving up its target date for the transition to zero-emission vehicles.
Amendments to the Zero-Emission Vehicles Act announced Tuesday will require 100 per cent of new light-duty vehicles sold in the province to be emission-free by 2035. The province previously targeted 2040 for the full transition.
"With the Zero-Emission Vehicles Act, our government was the first in the world to put an EV sales target into law," said Josie Osborne, B.C.'s minister of energy, mines and low-carbon innovation, in a news release announcing the changes.
"British Columbia is the leader in Canada on the switch to electric vehicles, and thanks to the success we've seen, we're accelerating our work so we can hit our 100 per cent EV sales target five years earlier. The actions we're taking today will make it easier for drivers to choose electric when they make their next vehicle purchase, with even more choices available to reduce pollution and contribute to cleaner air."
The province has "consistently exceeded" annual sales targets since the ZEV Act was introduced in 2019, according to the ministry.
As recently as July 2020, the province's target was for zero-emission vehicles to make up "at least 10 per cent" of sales by 2025, with additional targets of 30 per cent by 2030 and 100 per cent by 2040.
In 2023, electric vehicles have made up "nearly 21 per cent" of all new light-duty passenger vehicles sold in the province, according to the ministry, more than double the original target for 2025.
The accelerated timeline announced Tuesday calls for ZEVs to make up 26 per cent of vehicle sales by 2026, with a huge jump to 90 per cent by 2030, followed by a target of 100 per cent by 2035.
"This updated ZEV target reflects the success of our measures to shift rapidly to cleaner transportation," said George Heyman, minister of environment and climate change strategy, in the release.
"We're taking action to encourage a cleaner British Columbia, while making headway on CleanBC's mission to reduce emissions by 40 per cent by 2030. These changes also support rising demand for cleaner vehicles on the roads and will make it easier for more people to choose an electric vehicle."
Along those lines, the province says it has "recharged" its Go Electric EV Charger Rebate Program with $7 million in new funding.
The rebate program operates on a first-come, first-served basis, providing funding for homes, workplaces and multi-unit residential buildings looking to install electric vehicle charging infrastructure.
The program's funding ran out earlier this year due to "higher-than-anticipated demand," according to the province, which said the program will resume accepting applications for single-family homes and workplaces on Oct. 31.
According to the federal Canada Energy Regulator, transportation is the largest emitter in the province, accounting for about 38 per cent of B.C.'s emissions.
B.C. has some of the lowest per-capita emissions in the country, at 12 tonnes of CO2-equivalent, compared to the national average of 17.7 tonnes. As of 2020, however, greenhouse gas emissions in the province had declined just three per cent from 2005 levels, according to the CER.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
BREAKING Another suspect arrested in Toronto Pearson airport gold heist: police
Another suspect is in custody in connection with the gold heist at Toronto Pearson International Airport last year, police say.
Poilievre-led government 'would never' use notwithstanding clause on abortion, his office says
A Conservative government led by Pierre Poilievre would not legislate on, nor use the notwithstanding clause, on abortion, his office says, as anti-abortion protesters gather on Parliament Hill.
Why these immigrants to Canada say they're thinking about leaving, or have already moved on
For some immigrants, their dreams of permanently settling in Canada have taken an unexpected twist.
Ontario family receives massive hospital bill as part of LTC law, refuses to pay
A southwestern Ontario woman has received an $8,400 bill from a hospital in Windsor, Ont., after she refused to put her mother in a nursing home she hated -- and she says she has no intention of paying it.
Here are the ultraprocessed foods you most need to avoid, according to a 30-year study
Studies have shown that ultraprocessed foods can have a detrimental impact on health. But 30 years of research show they don’t all have the same impact.
Miss Teen USA steps down just days after Miss USA's resignation
Miss Teen USA resigned Wednesday, sending further shock waves through the pageant community just days after Miss USA said she would relinquish her crown.
Cyclist strikes child crossing the street to catch school bus in Montreal
A video circulating on social media of a young girl being hit by a bike has some calling for better safety and more caution when designing bike lanes in the city. The video shows a four-year-old girl crossing Jeanne-Mance Street in Montreal's Plateau neighbourhood to get on a school bus stopped on the opposite side of the street
BREAKING Critical injuries to 7 people in Sharbot Lake, Ont. crash
Ontario Provincial Police say seven people have suffered severe injuries in a single-vehicle crash in Sharbot Lake, Ont.
Barron Trump selected to be a Florida delegate at Republican National Convention
Former U.S. President Donald Trump’s youngest son, Barron Trump, was selected by the Florida GOP as an at-large delegate for Florida at the Republican National Convention, according to a list of delegates obtained by CNN.