Environment Committee on Nov. 24th, 2025

[Bruce Fanjoy, Liberal, Carleton, ON]

Thank you.

Thank you, witnesses.

Mr. Côté, in your original testimony this afternoon, you cited a difference in the cost between operating an electric vehicle per 100 kilometres and a comparable gas-powered vehicle. Can you share that number again? I didn't quite catch the number.

[Sébastien Côté]

Okay.

The cost of charging an electric vehicle at home ranges from $2 to $3 per 100 kilometres, while the cost of a tank of gas is $10 to $15 per 100 kilometres.

[Bruce Fanjoy, Liberal, Carleton, ON]

It's two dollars to three dollars for an electric vehicle versus $10 to $15 for a gas-powered vehicle.

[Sébastien Côté]

Yes, that's for the same distance.

[Bruce Fanjoy, Liberal, Carleton, ON]

Okay.

This morning, we heard that 99% of electric vehicle users will buy another electric vehicle in the future. I think you also mentioned that this figure may be close to 100%.

Do I have those figures correct?

[Sébastien Côté]

Yes.

[Bruce Fanjoy, Liberal, Carleton, ON]

Okay.

Mr. Adams, economic history is littered with companies that fail to adapt to shifting market demands. What do you foresee as the impact for the automakers that you represent—which contribute greatly to our economy at present—of moving too slowly as market demand shifts towards electric vehicles?

[David Adams]

I would say that I think some of the Japanese manufacturers were actually criticized for being too slow to adopt electrification. When you look at what's happened over the course of time here, they actually maybe look a bit smarter now in terms of how they adopted a full range, a full technological suite they offer to the consumer, whether it's hybrid, plug-in hybrid or EV.

Yes, my two manufacturers are actually producing plug-in hybrids in Canada right now. What I do know is that manufacturers will always produce what consumers want to buy.

[Bruce Fanjoy, Liberal, Carleton, ON]

Yes. We do have, I believe, a full suite of gas-powered vehicles available for Canadians. The electric availability standard is more about broadening that spectrum, which you've already said is good for consumer choice. Why wouldn't that be something that we would embrace in order to provide more choice?

[David Adams]

Do you mean in terms of having the manufacturers, the two manufacturers I represent, build electric vehicles in Canada?

[Bruce Fanjoy, Liberal, Carleton, ON]

Yes, it's to align more closely with where you've already testified the market is headed indisputably.

[David Adams]

I think that was certainly Honda's plan, as I think the committee is well aware. I think they had to pull back that plan, based on consumer demand and the new realities we're facing. If you look at it—it doesn't matter which manufacturer in Canada it is, the two I represent or the other three—85% of their production goes into the U.S. market, so what we build here is somewhat predicated on what consumers in the United States want.

[Bruce Fanjoy, Liberal, Carleton, ON]

Is the consumer demand...? We've already heard that the savings in operating an electric vehicle are vastly superior than for a gas-powered vehicle. Is that consumer hesitancy a result of misinformation and disinformation about the practicality of electric vehicles in Canada?

[David Adams]

I don't think so. What I will say, as an electric vehicle driver myself, is that there are a few things that still bother consumers. There's the price of the vehicles, and also the charging infrastructure—which I'm acutely aware of, because my home is in Owen Sound, Ontario, and I'm down in the city quite a bit. A fast charger cannot be a fast charger at times when you actually think it is.

There are all these challenges, and I think the other thing is convenience for consumers. It will get there, but they want to be able to charge their EV in the same amount of time that it takes them to fill their gas tank.

[Bruce Fanjoy, Liberal, Carleton, ON]

You're not disputing that the EV has a lower total cost of ownership than a gas-powered vehicle?

[David Adams]

No, absolutely not. The problem is the upfront cost. It's about getting people to trade off. Am I going to pay $200 or $300 more a month for an EV that costs more to save money over time? I think that, given the affordability challenges a lot of Canadians are facing today, the answer is probably no.

[Bruce Fanjoy, Liberal, Carleton, ON]

Would you agree, then, that smart public policy is beneficial to Canadians and consumers if it helps them to make that transition?

[The Chair, Liberal, Angelo Iacono]

I'm sorry, Mr. Fanjoy. The time is up. Thank you.

Mr. Bonin, you have the floor for two and a half minutes.

[Patrick Bonin, Bloc, Repentigny, QC]

Ms. Côté and Mr. Pascalon, can you tell us about the rollout of charging stations? In your opinion, are they distributed equally among the provinces? Are some provinces, such as Quebec, further ahead than others?

[Marie-Josée Côté]

Thank you for your question.

Quebec is a leader in terms of the number of charging stations it has. It has about a third of the charging infrastructure in all of Canada. The Government of Quebec has put winning conditions in place, including a fast-tracked and fair rollout of charging infrastructure.

There's more work to be done, but we need to have the same kind of strategy in Canada.

[Patrick Bonin, Bloc, Repentigny, QC]

Mr. Chair, I see that time is running out, so I'd like to come back to proposing a motion that we should have adopted a few meetings ago.

The motion was about inviting the commissioner of the environment and sustainable development. I would like us to adopt it quickly because I think there is a consensus. This is a practice that has always been followed in this committee.

The motion was sent to all my colleagues' representatives.

[The Chair, Liberal, Angelo Iacono]

We just sent everyone the motion again.

The clerk is asking that you read it into the record.

[Patrick Bonin, Bloc, Repentigny, QC]

Okay, Mr. Chair.

I'll read it again quickly since we have it in writing.

That all organizations that were the subject of a performance audit conducted by the commissioner of the environment and sustainable development, including the June 2025 audit, provide a detailed action plan to follow up on the audit’s recommendations—with specific measures, implementation timelines, and the names of those responsible—to both the committee and the commissioner of the environment and sustainable development within six months of the tabling of the audit in the House of Commons; That organizations invited to appear before the committee to discuss the findings of an audit, including the June 2025 audit, provide an action plan to committee members no later than 48 hours before the start of the hearing; That the action plans and progress reports submitted to the committee be published on the committee’s website; That the commissioner of the environment and sustainable development be invited to appear before the committee to discuss his reports, including those of June 2025, and each time new reports are published.

[The Chair, Liberal, Angelo Iacono]

Thank you, Mr. Bonin.

Now on to the debate.

Ms. Miedema, you have the floor.

[Shannon Miedema, Liberal, Halifax, NS]

Thank you, Mr. Chair.

I think this is a good motion, but it's very broad. I would like to propose an amendment to this motion, if I may.

I propose that we delete “That all organizations that have been subject to a performance audit by the commissioner of the environment and sustainable development” and replace it with “Environment and Climate Change Canada” for a more focused motion. Otherwise, it could relate to any part of the full government, and I don't think that's the objective.