Environment Minister Pascale Déry cites supply chain and international trade issues in reduced expectations
Quebec has announced a drop in its ZEV targets to 80 per cent by 2035 — iStock
Environment Minister Pascale Déry cites supply chain and international trade issues in reduced expectations
Less than a year after the Quebec government softened its Zero-Emission Vehicle (ZEV) Standard expectations, it announced further reductions yesterday.
The Ministry of the Environment issued a statement saying that the province will now aim to have 80 per cent of new vehicle sales be ZEVs by 2035.
In 2024, it mandated 100 per cent of new vehicle sales be zero-emission, but suggested lowering that to 90 per cent in September last year.
The move to change the mandate was never formally done until this week’s announcement.
Gas- and diesel-powered vehicles will still be available for sale in the province into the foreseeable future.
Interim targets were also changed significantly. The statement says the rate of adoption “will increase more gradually, which will reduce short-term pressure on the automotive industry.”
| Year | Current parameters | New parameters |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 | 32.5 per cent | 26 per cent |
| 2027 | 45 per cent | 30 per cent |
| 2028 | 60 per cent | 35 per cent |
| 2029 | 75 per cent | 44 per cent |
| 2030 | 85 per cent | 51 per cent |
| 2031 | 91 per cent | 58 per cent |
| 2032 | 95 per cent | 64 per cent |
| 2033 | 97.5 per cent | 70 per cent |
| 2034 | 99 per cent | 75 per cent |
| 2035 | 100 per cent | 80 per cent |
Environment Minister Pascale Déry cited “disruptions in supply chains, difficulties in accessing strategic materials, and international trade issues” as reasons for the roll-back.
“The Zero-Emission Vehicle (ZEV) standard is a good incentive for manufacturers to consider Quebec as a priority market and to offer a wider range of more affordable electric and hybrid vehicles,” said Déry.
“That said, we have listened to the automakers: some adjustments were necessary to address their current challenges.”
More changes to ZEV Standard
The statement also says there are proposed changes to the ZEV Standard.
Coming into effect in 2018, the ZEV Standard issues tax credits to manufacturers based on sales or leases of its electrified lineup.
The Quebec government is suggesting non-plug-in hybrids will now be worth a quarter of a tax credit until 2027.
Plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEVs) will be worth half of a credit under the ZEV Standard, while battery electric vehicles (BEVs) earn a full credit.
“We are… adopting a balanced approach, maintaining the standard while pragmatically relaxing it to reflect the realities on the ground and in our regions,” concluded Déry.
