Toronto, April 22, 2022. Canada Cleantech Alliance welcomes the expansion of Transport Canada’s incentive program for ZEVs (Zero Emission Vehicles). By raising the rebate cap for cars and adding a new category, the program now offers incentives for larger cars, electric station wagons, vans, SUVs and light-duty pickup trucks. It will allow buyers of these popular vehicles, especially in suburban and rural areas, to reduce their carbon footprint and save on fuel costs. With the announcement, the government also committed to sales mandates for different categories of ZEVs. The program, together with the mandates, has the potential to create thousands of jobs and significant economic impact.
“Canada has a strong cleantech sector and all the ingredients to build a homegrown, low-carbon ZEV vehicle supply chain that will be highly competitive in global markets. The incentive program and the announced mandates along with the government’s recent investments are a great way to leverage Canada’s cleantech strengths”, says Maike Althaus, Executive Director, Canada Cleantech Alliance.
According to Statistics Canada minivans,SUVs, light and heavy trucks, vans and buses accounted for over 80 percent of new vehicle sales in 2021. Road transportation is the second largest source of Canada’s GHG emissions. About half of these emissions are driven by passenger vehicles. The program along with the mandates will help Canada reduce these emissions and increase Canadians’ ZEV purchasing power. Given Canada’s strengths in critical minerals, auto-manufacturing and clean technology, this presents a tremendous economic opportunity across the electric vehicle (EV) value chain.
Cleantech Facts & Figures:
- Clean technology encompasses any product or process that reduces environmental impact while improving efficiency.
- In 2020, the cleantech sector employed 210, 237 people across Canada
- Based on the current trajectory, by 2030, at least half a million of Canadians will work in cleantech.
- Canada ranks 4th on the global Cleantech Innovation Index.
- In 2022, thirteen Canadian companies were listed on the Cleantech Group’s annual ranking of the world’s leading 100 cleantech ventures.
- The global cleantech sector is projected to employ 28 million people globally by 2050.
- Canadian cleantech exports are projected to reach $20 billion by 2025.