At this point, if we're going to achieve our goals, we have to provide financial incentives. I would like to remind people here that financial incentives to purchase vehicles that are less polluting began in 2006, under the Conservative government. At the time, hybrid vehicle technology was more expensive. We have reached a point where hybrid vehicles are less expensive and no longer need to be subsidized.
It also requires a regulatory framework. We support federal zero‑emission legislation to force manufacturers to provide more and more electric vehicles so that they are accessible to Canadians. Currently, the wait in most Canadian provinces is months‑long, even a year. As much as people want an electric car, it is very difficult for them to get access to one.
With regulations becoming increasingly stringent around the world, manufacturers are prioritizing sending these electric vehicles to countries such as China or several European countries. In Canada, we are left with crumbs, and that is a real problem.
Of course, we want to accelerate the transition to electric vehicles, but people still need to be able to buy them at dealerships. At the moment, the majority of dealerships in Canada don't have electric vehicles on their lots. This isn't from the pandemic; it was like this before.