The Quebec government is scaling back its electric vehicle sales targets: it now aims to reach 80 per cent by 2035, rather than the previously planned 100 per cent.
Last fall, the CAQ government had already backed down from its plan to ban the sale of gasoline-powered vehicles starting in 2035.
Bernard Drainville, who was then environment minister, had mentioned a target of 90 per cent zero-emission vehicle sales by 2035, but that goal had not been formally adopted.
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In its new standard, unveiled Thursday, Quebec set the target at 80 per cent for 2035, stating it wanted to give “some breathing room to the automotive industry, which is facing significant challenges.”
The government specifically cited disruptions in supply chains, difficulties accessing strategic materials, and international trade issues.
According to the current Environment Minister Pascale Déry, “when gas prices reach such a high level, it is Quebec families, workers, and businesses that bear the direct consequences.”
“We are therefore adopting a balanced approach that maintains the standard while pragmatically relaxing it to take into account the realities on the ground and in our regions,” she stated in a press release.
The interim targets have also been revised: for 2026, the goal is to reach 26.0 per cent of sales of zero-emission vehicles, instead of 32.5 per cent. For 2030, Quebec is aiming for 51.0 per cent, rather than 85.0 per cent.
–This report by La Presse Canadienne was translated by CityNews
