Thanks, Mr. Chair.
Good afternoon, we would like to thank the members of the Standing Committee on Natural Resources for taking the time to consider our thoughts regarding a fair and equitable Canadian energy transformation.
My name is Daniel Breton, and I am president and CEO of Electric Mobility Canada.
Founded in 2006, Electric Mobility Canada is one of the world's leading organizations in transportation electrification. Our members include manufacturers of light-, medium- and heavy-duty as well as off-road vehicles, electricity and charging infrastructure providers, mining companies, technology companies, research centres, cities, universities, fleet managers, unions and environmental NGOs. In short, Electric Mobility Canada is the national voice for the electrification of transportation.
A few weeks ago, the International Monetary Fund published a report on the green economic transformation needed to achieve net-zero emissions, including a chapter on labour market implications. The analysis demonstrates that more stringent environmental policies are associated with greener and less pollution-intensive employment. It's not only good for employees' job security; it's also better for their health.
Green infrastructure push and phase-in carbon taxes should be backed by training programs targeted to lower-skilled workers and by an earned income tax credit to support incentivized labour supply. Areas that rely more heavily on higher emissions-intensive production will have a larger reallocation need and a tougher transition. These policies would buffer the unequal impact of the transition on low-skilled workers and reduce income inequality.
Last year, our organization launched its 2030 EV action plan. That included six pillars for a successful transition towards an electric mobility ecosystem that would not only fight climate change and air pollution but also create high-quality sustainable jobs across the country. That's why we recommend supporting the clean job transition with ambitious training and retraining programs so workers will be able to find good-paying and more stable jobs in electric mobility. In the electric mobility sector, job growth is exponential, and the demand will continue growing for years.
As is written in our “2030 EV Action Plan”:
A Canadian EV Economic Development and Investment Attraction Strategy, focused R&D efforts, and action to protect Canadian industry and workers from foreign buy-domestic rules will help ensure a prosperous transition to an electric mobility economy in Canada.
We recommend that the federal government focus its efforts on, number one, attracting more investment to accelerate EV manufacturing and related industry in Canada, including assembly, parts, machinery, charging equipment and battery materials extraction and processing with a Canadian EV economic development and investment attraction strategy. Building these industries will create good, sustainable jobs and raise the profile of EVs to further support their adoption in Canada.
Number two is accelerating technologies, research, development and manufacturing associated with reducing the cost of vehicle batteries, and thus vehicle costs per unit of charge. Achieving economies of scale in vehicle, batteries and charging infrastructure production will also help to reduce costs for consumers and fleets.
Number three is working with provinces to revamp the vehicle mechanic curriculum to prioritize EVs by fast-tracking training for EV mechanics and provide them with more apprenticeship opportunities.
Number four is building a labour force with the right skills, from engineering and research to electrical and mechanical, charging infrastructure installation and maintenance and fleet management, which will be critical to the success of Canada's transition to a zero-carbon economy, and also exploring opportunities for the government to support employers—whether traditional industry or all-EV—to train new employees who have not previously worked in the EV industry. Also, maintaining existing funding commitments for training and retraining will be vital.
We need to spur the development of our own zero-emission vehicle supply chain, from mining to mobility, to ensure that Canada is not left behind in the electric vehicle revolution that's currently under way. For environmental reasons, but also for the future of Canadian workers, we must make the most of this once‑in‑a‑generation opportunity.
Thank you.