Canadian Legislative News

A few months after its introduction, the uptake has been strong in the national incentives program for the Zero-Emission Vehicles (iZEV). According to information released by Transport Canada, 8,800 claims for reimbursement have been submitted under the program. Quebec, British Columbia, and Ontario are experiencing the highest demands respectively.

Consumers and fleets in these provinces can also benefit from the provincial rebates. At this pace, 2019 is poised to be another record year for electric vehicles in Canada. The country has reached the threshold of 100,000 electric vehicles on the road and demand will continue to increase as many of the barriers to adoption are being addressed by governments and industry.

There has been a significant effort by the federal and provincial governments as well as the automobile industry to increase the rate of adoption of ZEVs. The national rebate program is part of a general push from the federal government towards electrification of the Canadian fleet, as battery technology improves and range anxiety eases. The government has also committed $130 million over five years to deploy a network of zero-emission vehicle charging and refueling stations across Canada. Support is also available for strategic projects for EV and hydrogen infrastructure for corporate fleets, delivery fleets, and mass transit. Coupled with the increased range of today’s EVs, this should go a long way to alleviating the so-called “range anxiety” of potential battery-powered vehicle customers, who have historically feared running out of juice before reaching their destination.

Natural Resources Canada (NRCan) has recently launched an initiative aimed at increasing consumer awareness for zero-emission vehicles. The lack of consumer awareness and education is one of the key impediments to adoption. The initiative will support projects that aim to increase awareness of ZEVs through education and outreach, advance knowledge and support capacity-building, increase awareness of public charging and refueling infrastructure activities.

The funding will be provided through a cost-sharing agreement, up to a maximum contribution of $50,000 from the government. Public and private organizations such as fleets are eligible to participate.