Evidence of meeting #3 for Environment and Sustainable Development in the 43rd Parliament, 2nd Session. (The original version is on Parliament’s site, as are the minutes.) The winning word was question.
A recording is available from Parliament.
5:55 p.m.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Yasmin Ratansi
Ms. Collins, please mute yourself. We can hear you.
Ms. Pauzé, you may continue.
5:55 p.m.
Bloc
Monique Pauzé Bloc Repentigny, QC
I asked my question, but I'll start over. I hope it won't come off my time.
Does the automobile industry have to meet any specific requirements to access funding under the strategic innovation fund?
5:55 p.m.
Senior Director, Industry Sector, Automotive, Transportation and Digital Technology Branch, Department of Industry
With respect to the strategic innovation fund, there is a series of criteria applied, whether it be for an automotive company that applies through the program or others, setting out the economic benefits, the risks, societal benefits, etc. Certainly I should be able, if you wish, to give you a more detailed list as to what the criteria are for companies in making an application [Inaudible--Editor] for that program.
5:55 p.m.
Bloc
Monique Pauzé Bloc Repentigny, QC
Sorry, but I'm going to stop you there to frame the question in a clearer way.
Does it have an environmental responsibility component? Specifically, are companies in the automobile industry held to account for their environmental performance as a condition of their funding? In other words, do you assess their environmental efficiency under the innovation fund?
5:55 p.m.
Senior Director, Industry Sector, Automotive, Transportation and Digital Technology Branch, Department of Industry
Madame, right now, I don't have that information directly at hand, but certainly I would be more than willing to respond to the committee and to your question on that.
5:55 p.m.
Bloc
Monique Pauzé Bloc Repentigny, QC
I have another question about the strategic innovation fund.
Is there any dedicated funding to train industry workers, for instance, so they can learn new technical skills to manufacture zero-emission vehicles?
5:55 p.m.
Senior Director, Industry Sector, Automotive, Transportation and Digital Technology Branch, Department of Industry
The strategic innovation fund does not have a direct stream related to skills, retraining and those sorts of things. The streams that are within the fund relate to research and development, that promotes facilitating growth and expansion of firms in Canada, retaining and attracting large investments, projects that advance industrial research, development and technology demonstration, as well as large-scale national ecosystems.
In short, the program has an industry sector focus, and that's across a number of industries, of which the automotive sector is one that is a strong participant in the program.
5:55 p.m.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Yasmin Ratansi
Thank you very much.
Madame Collins, it's your turn. If the interpreter can't hear you, you can give me your questions and I'll ask on your behalf. We'll have to be creative.
5:55 p.m.
NDP
Laurel Collins NDP Victoria, BC
I just want to go back to my question about the Canadian Environmental Protection Act. Would ECCC mind forwarding some written information about the specific regulations under CEPA that have to do with electric vehicle emission targeting, and additionally any reports or work that's being done or plans to develop regulations under CEPA that require automakers to achieve Canada's sales targets?
5:55 p.m.
Associate Assistant Deputy Minister, Environmental Protection Branch, Department of the Environment
Madame Chair, in the written material that I provided in my opening statement, I included the links to our regulation, as well as the links to our annual report. If I'm not mistaken, I also included the links to the work being done on the mid-term evaluation. I'll see if there is any further documentation that we might have.
5:55 p.m.
NDP
Laurel Collins NDP Victoria, BC
That's wonderful.
In that, I believe the six regulations under CEPA might have been mentioned, but I wonder specifically about the plans to develop or any work that has been done around regulations requiring automakers to achieve the targets.
The next question is to follow up on Madame Pauzé's question and Mr. Saini's question, that despite the growing demand for electric vehicles, we're still seeing the number of them accessible at dealerships decreasing—or at least they were in the past few years. Of the dealerships in Canada, 70% didn't have a single EV available for purchase, and the vast majority of them cited wait times of three to six months before someone could actually drive it off the lot.
In dealing with some of those accessibility issues, can you speak to the specific instruments that the government is employing to ensure that there are EVs available without long waits?
6 p.m.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Yasmin Ratansi
We need a quick answer. Who is answering?
Madam Collins, who did you target?
The Zoom of whoever it is got frozen?
6 p.m.
NDP
Laurel Collins NDP Victoria, BC
I believe it would be for either Transport Canada or Natural Resources, but whoever they think would be best to answer.
6 p.m.
Liberal
6 p.m.
Director General, Environmental Policy, Department of Transport
Certainly, Madam Chair.
To build on previous answers, despite the low inventory of models across Canada, we still have seen some good uptake. However, we do recognize that limited supply continues to be a barrier to greater uptake of these vehicles. To that end we are continuing, with the other departments, to assess additional measures that we will need to consider to put Canada on track to meet its sales target.
6 p.m.
Liberal
6 p.m.
Conservative
Dan Albas Conservative Central Okanagan—Similkameen—Nicola, BC
Madam Chair, I know Mr. Scarpaleggia sought the same answers I did. A reporter had a story where their math was 270,000 tonnes per year, at a cost of $186 billion in rebates; that's where the $900 per tonne comes from. Transport Canada has not yet answered if it has its own estimate. Could Transport Canada supply the committee? Mr. Scarpaleggia, I believe deserves an answer.
6 p.m.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Yasmin Ratansi
I think the clerk has taken note of every request you guys have made, and will send the requests to the respective departments.
6 p.m.
Conservative
6 p.m.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Yasmin Ratansi
Yes. Remember, the clerks are very good at listening to everyone and making notes quickly.
6 p.m.
Conservative
Dan Albas Conservative Central Okanagan—Similkameen—Nicola, BC
I hope Ms. Nichols was paying attention, too.
Thank you very much, Madam Chair.
6 p.m.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Yasmin Ratansi
Oh, don't worry. Ms. Nichols will get that request from the clerk.
Thank you very much. Thank you for staying half an hour. Mondays are always a bad day; we seem to end up having votes on Mondays. Thank you to the witnesses for coming in early. We hope that every witness comes with the right headset from now on.
Take care. Have a good evening.