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Federal government announces plans to make electric vehicles more affordable for Quebeckers and Quebec businesses

Electric vehicles/Electric cars

SAINT-JÉRÔME — On Apr. 14, the Minister of Environment and Climate Change, Steven Guilbeault, highlighted the Government’s plan to invest $547.5 million over four years to launch a new purchase incentive program for medium- and heavy-duty zero-emission vehicles to help businesses upgrade their fleets.

Minister Guilbeault made the announcement at Lion Electric, a Canadian-based manufacturer specializing in zero-emission vehicles. Minister Guilbeault was joined by Yannick Poulin, Chief Operating Officer of Lion Electric.

Budget 2022 proposes a number of measures to reduce emissions from transportation by making zero-emission vehicles (ZEV) more affordable for Canadians and Canadian businesses:

• $1.7 billion to extend the Incentives for Zero-Emission Vehicles Program until March 2025 to help more Canadians get behind the wheel of zero-emission vehicles.
• A $500 million investment by the Canada Infrastructure Bank in large-scale urban and commercial ZEV charging and refuelling infrastructure.
• $400 million over five years, starting in 2022–23, to fund the deployment of ZEV charging infrastructure in suburban and remote communities through the Zero-Emission Vehicle Infrastructure Program (ZEVIP).

“Transportation accounts for 41 percent of the polluting greenhouse gases we emit in Quebec. Helping Quebeckers make the switch to electric vehicles is absolutely essential to reduce our dependence on fossil fuels and building a low carbon economy. That’s why our Government is making it easier for Quebeckers and Quebec businesses to purchase medium- and heavy-duty electric vehicles.” said Steven Guilbeault, Minister of Environment and Climate Change.

The Government will launch an integrated strategy to reduce emissions from medium- and heavy-duty vehicles (MHDV)—such as trucks and buses—with the aim of reaching 35 percent of total MHDV sales being ZEVs by 2030.