British Columbia is making a big push for a greener future.
Last week the province introduced new legislation that seeks to phase out all gas-powered vehicles by 2040. The ambitious plan was first revealed last November, when Premier John Horgan announced that every car sold in the province will be zero-emission within two decades.
If passed, the tiered approach will see 10% of new light-duty vehicle sales by 2025 to be zero-emission, with 30% by 2030, and 100% by 2040.
“British Columbians are eager to make the switch to zero-emission vehicles, but price and availability can be barriers,” said Michelle Mungall, Minister of Energy, Mines and Petroleum Resources. “To reduce those barriers, we are providing rebates as part of CleanBC, and now we are bringing in legislation that will improve availability.”
The Canadian government will chip in $300 million to offer a $5,000 purchase incentive for Canadians who buy green cars.
“We know that British Columbians want clean-energy vehicles to be more affordable and more accessible. The legislation will make it easier for everyone in our province to choose a clean-energy vehicle as their next purchase, supporting our long-term work to build a cleaner future, while dramatically reducing transportation and maintenance costs for British Columbians,” said George Heyman, Minister of Environment and Climate Change Strategy.
“The legislation is a practical step in our efforts to fight climate change, putting our province on a path that powers our future with clean and renewable energy.” That path is already promising – 17,000 zero-emission vehicles are already on B.C roads. The province is also home to one of the largest public charging and hydrogen fuelling networks.
Quebec was the first Canadian province to pass zero-emissions legislation, in January of 2018. The province requires 10% of new vehicle sales or rentals to consist of zero-emission or low-emission vehicles by 2025.