The Canadian government requires 100% of Canadian car and bus sales to achieve zero emissions by 2035

In order to build a cleaner and more prosperous economy to combat climate change and create good job opportunities, the Canadian government is taking action to reduce pollution in all economic sectors-including the transportation sector, which accounts for-four of us One part of greenhouse gas emissions.

The Minister of Transport, the Honourable Omar Alghabra, the Minister of Environment and Climate Change, the Honourable Jonathan Wilkinson, and the Minister of Canadian Heritage, the Honourable Steven Guilbeault, announced that the Government of Canada is setting a mandatory target for all new light-duty cars and passenger trucks sales to be zero-emission by 2035, accelerating Canada’s previous goal of 100 percent sales by 2040.

To ensure Canada gets to this goal, and to provide certainty about the pathway to get there, the Government of Canada will pursue a combination of investments and regulations to help Canadians and industry transition to achieve the 100 percent zero-emission vehicle sales by 2035. It will work also with partners to develop interim 2025 and 2030 targets, and additional mandatory measures that may be needed beyond Canada’s light-duty vehicle greenhouse gas emissions regulations.

“Only bold climate policies lead to bold results,” said Minister Alghabra. “Through measures aimed at accelerating the transition to 100 percent zero-emission vehicles sales, we will continue building a cleaner and more resilient economy, while also creating good jobs and opportunities for all Canadians. We will also continue to support the automotive sector, including through our investment of $8 billion to accelerate the industrial transition thanks to the Net Zero Accelerator.”

The announcement is coupled with existing measures to support increased zero-emission vehicle adoption – from incentives that help with the upfront costs of zero-emission vehicles, to investments in zero-emission charging infrastructure, to partnerships with auto manufacturers which are helping them re-tool and produce zero-emission vehicles right here in Canada. Taken together, the government is setting the country on a clear path towards Canada’s new 100 per cent zero-emission vehicle sales goal and a prosperous net-zero emissions economy by 2050.

The Government of Canada also remains committed to aligning with the most ambitious light-duty vehicle greenhouse gas emission regulations in the United States. Supporting a strong and unified North American automotive sector to transition towards zero-emission vehicles contributes to Canada’s climate change goals, and positions Canadian and American workers alike to benefit economically from this global shift.

"Reducing our transportation emissions is one of the easiest and economically beneficial roads for Canada to achieve net zero emissions by 2050," said His Excellency Jonathan Wilkinson, Minister of Environment and Climate Change. "This is why we are committed to aligning Canada's zero-emission vehicle sales goals with those of the most ambitious North American jurisdictions. We will work with the United States to coordinate performance-based greenhouse gas regulations and greenhouse gas emission standards. We are working Invest in consumer rebates, charging stations, corporate tax relief, and industry transformation costs to enable drivers, workers, and entrepreneurs to switch to zero-emission vehicles as seamlessly as possible."