Here Are Quebec's Plans For Banning Gas-Powered Car Sales

Goodbye, gas guzzlers. Quebec plans to ban the sale of gas-powered vehicles by 2035 and has presented what it calls its "roadmap" to get there. Draft regulation submitted on January 26 proposes tightening disincentives so that automakers will have to accumulate a certain number of credits from electric or low-emission vehicle sales.

Those who don't collect enough credits will face penalties under the regulation, the Ministry of the Environment and the Fight against Climate Change said in a February 7 press release.

The goal is to increase electric vehicle (EV) sales over the next thirteen years. The government expects to have 632,000 EVs on the roads by 2025, 1.5 million by 2030 and 3.5 million by 2035.

The ministry said it hopes the looming gas vehicle ban, rebates, the expansion of the charging station network, and a public awareness campaign will motivate consumers to ditch gas-powered cars.

The regulation is open to public consultation until March 12, 2022. If approved, the ministry says Quebec "will become the first jurisdiction in North America to legislate its target of 100% electric car sales by 2035."

While Environment Minister Benoit Charette trumpeted the proposal as a potential win for drivers and a step toward the province's emissions goals, opposition party Québec solidaire says the CAQ's targets aren't ambitious enough.

In a February 15 press release, the party called on the government to move up the end of gas-powered car sales to 2030 and ban companies from advertising "the most polluting vehicles like SUVs and trucks."

"The CAQ government must change gears and act quickly to catch up," Québec solidaire MNA Émilise Lessard-Therrien said.

"There is an urgent need to act in the fight against climate change and Quebec is dragging its feet. At Québec solidaire, we are making simple and effective proposals to tighten the screws on a polluting industry that doesn't hesitate to waste our collective efforts."

This article’s cover image was used for illustrative purposes only.