Debates of June 17th, 2025

Opposition Motion—Sale of Gas-Powered Vehicles

[Ben Lobb, Conservative, Huron—Bruce, ON]

Mr. Speaker, I would ask the hon. member to talk to car dealership managers right now and ask how sales of EVs are going once the government rebates and grants are falling off. We can look at the data for the first six months of the year, and we know sales are down because the grants are down.

The other thing I will say is to take a look at the combustion engine and its evolution over the last 30 years, specifically around pickup trucks that had V8 engines. Regarding fuel mileage, way back in the day, Ford pickups would get about eight miles to the gallon. Maybe 20 years ago, it would have been 13 or 14 miles to the gallon, and now, if they are cruising down the road, it is close to 30 miles to the gallon. That is a huge innovation.

There are other things, like EGR valves that are bolted onto the exhaust manifold. Those help to recycle emissions. We have catalytic converters. What comes out of the tailpipe of a truck from 30 years ago does not reflect anything that happens on a new truck today.

[Scot Davidson, Conservative, New Tecumseth—Gwillimbury, ON]

Mr. Speaker, I like the way my colleague speaks in reality. The reality is, we know the government has forgotten about rural Canadians. The member talks about power. The Liberals have trouble doing math. In my riding, I have a lot of people still on 60-amp service; in old cottage country, it is 100-amp service.

The government put out heat pumps. The reality is that we have people who cannot even get a heat pump going, let alone an electric charger that takes 30 amps. They have got an oven taking 30 amps, a dryer, 20 amps.

I wonder if the member could comment a little further on our power problems.

[Ben Lobb, Conservative, Huron—Bruce, ON]

Mr. Speaker, it is all part of the consideration. I know the hon. member is a big fan of snowmobiles and chainsaws and all of these things. We can think back to snowmobiles 30 years ago when there was not one snowmobile in the country that was four-stroke. They all were two-stroke, and they used mixed fuel, and we could smell them five kilometres away. Most of them now are four-stroke, and people do not have to mix the fuel. Even in recreation vehicles, there is innovation.

[Cheryl Gallant, Conservative, Algonquin—Renfrew—Pembroke, ON]

Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to rise on behalf of the hard-driving Canadians of Algonquin—Renfrew—Pembroke.

The Liberal plan to ban the internal combustion engine is an act of pure economic vandalism. When this Soviet-style car sales mandate is combined with Trump's auto tariffs, it would mean the death of domestic car manufacturing. This is government-assisted suicide for the Canadian automobile industry.

If this horrific Liberal policy is allowed to proceed, the damage it would unleash would spread out far beyond the auto industry. This regressive policy would hurt lower-income Canadians, students and refugees. This idiotic policy discriminates against rural Canadians and remote first nations. This proudly socialist policy would push up electricity prices while paving over paradise to put up a solar farm.

Over the last 10 years of Liberal rule, we have seen some overtly communist or Marxist policies. For example, there is the Liberal plan to search the homes of 2.3 million Canadians for firearms that look scary to people who know nothing about hunting. There is the plan to ban plastic food packaging so Canadians will eat less fresh food, fruits and vegetables, while being forced to eat food packed with preservatives.

This car ban struts around wearing a Che Guevara shirt. It was one thing when we had a prime minister who made dumb statements like that the budget will balance itself or that he does not think about monetary policy. Despite replacing the drama teacher with an economist, we still have a government committed to this economic lunacy.

Just so Canadians understand, the Liberals are proposing to impose massive fines on carmakers that do not sell enough electric vehicles, or EVs. Obviously, carmakers cannot go around forcing people to buy their electric vehicles, especially if they do not currently manufacture electric vehicles. How will carmakers ensure they sell enough EVs? They will do it by drastically raising the prices of internal combustion vehicles. When prices go up, demand goes down.

Unfortunately, carmakers that do not currently produce any zero-emission vehicles will have to leave the Canadian market entirely or pay a $20,000 tax for every non-EV car they sell. The result will be much higher prices, less competition and fewer choices for consumers. The only winners with this policy are the all-electric carmakers, such as Tesla and BYD. That might be great for the United States and China, but it leaves Canada more reliant on two countries that do not always have our best interests at heart.

The Parliamentary Budget Officer recently reported that the price of EVs would have to come down by 30% for the mandate to work. Since that is not likely to happen with 100% tariffs on Chinese EVs, the only choice would be to increase the price of internal combustion vehicles by 30%. This is effectively a $20,000 car tax. This would price millions of Canadians out of the new car market. Those millions of Canadians would then turn to the used car market. The price of used cars would go up. Canadians who could just afford a new car would be forced to buy used. Canadians who could just afford to buy a used car would be forced to take on more debt or go without a vehicle entirely.

That may be an option if someone can afford to rent or own a home in a major city with public transit. Those living outside of major cities, such as the 108,000 people living in my riding, would have no options. That means they could not work. Maybe the government plans to give those vacant jobs to laid-off auto workers.

By hiking prices on new vehicles, demand goes down, which means production must go down. Fewer cars being sold means fewer people working in the industry. That means fewer auto plant workers, fewer car part workers and fewer car salesmen. Those laid off would cut back on spending, leading to fewer jobs in service industries. Those who could still manage to afford a vehicle would have less money to spend after paying the higher prices.

None of this is a surprise to government. All of this is spelled out in the regulations: Zero-emission vehicles, or ZEVs, “are expected to generally cost more than non-ZEVs, and this vehicle price increase could lead to a reduction in the quantity of vehicles purchased.”

By their own estimate, this policy would cost Canadians an extra $54 billion. Leaving Canadians poorer than before really is the hallmark of the Liberal government. Lower-income Canadians will not be able to afford a car, but they will still be forced to pay taxes to subsidize an EV BMW for Canadians who can well afford it.

This policy clearly discriminates against rural and remote Canadians. Pricing millions of Canadians out of the car-buying market, the government will have a devastating impact on rural communities. Without access to affordable transportation to get to work or to medical appointments, these Canadians will be forced to leave their homes and move to the cities.

Even rural Canadians fortunate enough to afford an EV may find themselves trapped when the temperatures drop. Despite claims repeated by Liberal ministers, Canada is not Norway. I had the opportunity to travel to northern Norway to observe the Canadian Armed Forces participate in NATO exercises. Norway's capital, Oslo, sits just a few degrees below the Arctic Circle. It is a winter Olympics superpower, but it is also a coastal country with a milder climate than Canada's. Ottawa, in January, is 10°C colder than Oslo.

Canada is also 26 times bigger. Once we start driving north up the Trans-Canada Highway, things get a lot colder. In -25°C, the range of an electric vehicle drops by half. This might not matter much in a big city when the commute to work and back is 40 kilometres, but in rural communities in Canada, the closest hospital can easily be beyond the range of an electric car.

We have not even touched the reliability of the electric grid in rural and remote parts of Canada. We have seen during ice storms that cities regain power much faster than remote areas. Going without electricity for three weeks is unimaginable for people who live in major cities; living in rural Canada, it is just a reality.

Whether it is an ice storm, a solar storm or a cyber-attack, for rural Canadians forced to buy electric vehicles, the result is the same: Once the EV battery depletes, they are trapped. They cannot drive to the grocery store. The EV ambulances cannot get to them if they are sick or hurt. The EV fire trucks cannot put out fires. Without electricity, people will die.

This Liberal policy clearly discriminates against those of us who live in rural and remote communities. The tired, old Liberals love to deny the reality they reveal in their regulations. They will look us straight in the face and tell us they are making life more affordable. We can literally quote their own regulations back to them and they still will not believe themselves.

This policy will make cars unaffordable for millions, but the plan does not stop there. Ontario's electricity power operator found that to meet the net-zero goal using only renewables would require an area 400 times the size of Toronto. How many trees must die to make the Liberals' green dream a reality?

The Liberal government recently committed to reclaiming 30% of Canada's developed lands. This is a government at war with itself. Has the proud socialist minister finally abandoned his opposition to nuclear power? When the minister declared an end to road building, was it a preview of a carless Canada?

Forcing an early adoption of EVs before we have the electric infrastructure ready will mean higher energy prices. It is not just about building more EV chargers. Every local transformer in every community in Canada will need to be replaced. Electro-Federation Canada estimates the cost at $350 billion, and costs will be passed along to consumers. Energy poverty will increase.

Thanks to the leadership of Pierre Poilievre, Canadians have been liberated from the carbon tax. Thanks to the Liberal Party, all those gains will be lost due to higher electricity prices. Canadians will pay more for electricity, and they will pay more for cars.

Rural Canadians who cannot afford cars will be forced to move to the cities. Our domestic auto industry will disappear. Canadians will be forced to pay higher taxes to subsidize battery makers and $60,000 cars. This policy will leave all Canadians worse off.

[Kevin Lamoureux, Liberal, Parliamentary Secretary to the Leader of the Government in the House of Commons]

Madam Speaker, there was no fearmongering and misinformation in that speech. It is interesting how among the Conservatives, no one, except possibly Pierre Poilievre, does it better than the member opposite. All one needs to do is just listen to or read her speech.

I can assure the member that gas-driven vehicles are not going to disappear in the next 10 years. A question before noted hybrid. I can reference to the Ford F-150 truck, which is gas-driven and has an electric component to it, so it is the best of both worlds in that sense.

I am wondering if the member could provide some sort of explanation as to why Pierre Poilievre and members of her caucus spread misinformation continuously in an attempt to put fear in the minds of Canadians.

[Cheryl Gallant, Conservative, Algonquin—Renfrew—Pembroke, ON]

Madam Speaker, even hybrid electric cars would not qualify, and if there are still internal combustion vehicles on the roads or owned by people, they would not be able to get fuel because the new fuel standards are eliminating the gasoline that would fuel ICE cars, those with internal combustion engines. Even if we cannot afford an EV and all we have is gas power, the gas will not be available.

[Andréanne Larouche, Bloc, Shefford, QC]

Madam Speaker, I would like to remind the House that the automotive industry is very important to the Shefford region. There are many dealerships in Granby. I would like to give a shout-out to Annie Chagnon of Chagnon Honda, who was named person of the year at the Haute-Yamaska chamber of commerce and industry's recent 2025 Desjardins distinction gala. I would like to commend Annie for her community involvement. I met with her on Zoom during the election. She told me about the challenges facing the industry. I made a commitment to her keep the lines of communication open and meet with other people in the industry to continue to discuss their concerns. What they talked to me about most was the impact of the tariffs on their industry.

The question I have for my colleague is this. Other than going after zero-emission vehicles, what does she have to offer people in the auto industry?

[Cheryl Gallant, Conservative, Algonquin—Renfrew—Pembroke, ON]

Madam Speaker, with respect to EVs and internal combustion engines, the tariffs that have been imposed on us and the tariffs imposed by the government are making new cars unaffordable altogether, so anything left of auto parts manufacturing in Canada is going to be driven out of the country. There are even fewer EV manufacturers, so Canadians are not going to have anything to drive in the next 10 years.

[Ted Falk, Conservative, Provencher, MB]

Madam Speaker, Liberal members have several times today indicated that they are not banning gasoline vehicles. While that may be partially true, what they are banning is the production of new gasoline vehicles in 2035, and they are introducing a strictly 100% electric vehicle mandate. I am wondering whether my colleague could provide a little more clarification on that.

[Cheryl Gallant, Conservative, Algonquin—Renfrew—Pembroke, ON]

Madam Speaker, what car salespeople have to do is reach the mandates that are required by government, and if they do not reach the sales limits required on electric vehicles, they will have to pay a $20,000 fine on every gas-powered vehicle as opposed to electric vehicle.

All that being said, at least where I live, there may be a few electric vehicles in the lots, but nobody wants them because they cannot use them where they live. The cold makes them unusable, and then there is the time it takes to charge them, if they can even charge them at their homes. As mentioned before, many homes do not have the amperage needed to charge these cars. Even the military base would not be able to accommodate people who are living on base, because they certainly do not have the infrastructure for what they need, let alone for EVs.

[Judy Sgro, Liberal, Humber River—Black Creek, ON]

Madam Speaker, it is great to see you looking so fabulous today, and in the chair and back to work the way I know you want to be.

I will be sharing my time with the great member for West Vancouver—Sunshine Coast—Sea to Sky Country.

I am really pleased to speak to the issue of EV cars, why they are so important and why we as a government continue to encourage that kind of investment.

We are gathered in the chamber at a pivotal moment, not just for our government but for the future of all Canadians everywhere. Beyond these walls, families, workers and business owners are thinking about what comes next. It is a very challenging time for our country, but also a very exciting time to look at a different way of doing business than how we were doing it and running the government previously. People are reflecting on the kinds of jobs they have and might have in the future and the economy and environment they want their children and grandchildren to inherit. It is a huge responsibility we have in our hands in the upcoming years as we move forward.

The shift toward electric and zero-emission vehicles is not about limiting choice, because as a government, we very much want to encourage more people to get an electric car and experience it. It is about creating new opportunities for Canadians and keeping our country competitive in a rapidly changing world. More than that, it is about living up to values that have always defined our national character: responsibility, ambition, a drive to build something better for the next generation and protecting our environment.

In a time of uncertainty when Canada is facing the impact of unjustified tariffs from the United States, it is important that we seize every opportunity to expand our industries, including the EV industry, and welcome the thousands of jobs that come with it from end to end, from mining critical minerals for EV batteries, which is very important and a great opportunity for Ontario, in particular, when it comes to the Ring of Fire and exploring the mining industry; to becoming a critical mineral supplier of choice for the world's EV manufacturers, which should make us stop and think about what it will do for our economy; to putting together the necessary infrastructure for Canadian vehicles to remain charged; to welcoming new automotive manufacturing opportunities. We cannot afford to turn these jobs away during a time when our economy, our sovereignty and our prosperity are in jeopardy.

During times of great change, it is easy to feel uncertain. That is understandable for everyone. Every great leap Canada has ever taken demanded leadership, vision and honest conversation, and I believe we are hearing that every single day from the new Prime Minister. In the case of our transportation sector, we know that vehicles are more than just machines. They are the backbone of many Canadians' daily lives. Whether it is work, school, family, opportunities or travel, so much depends on reliable mobility, and it is our job to ensure that mobility remains accessible, affordable and sustainable now and into the future.

Over the last several years, the global auto industry has been moving in one clear direction. People want cleaner vehicles because they care about what their families breathe and about the world their children will inherit. Across the globe, we see that countries and companies alike are racing to innovate, breaking ground on new factories and inventing new technologies designed to meet these demands.

Canada has the expertise. We have the workers, we have the minerals, we have the manufacturing capacity and now we have the vision to be an energy superpower for the 21st century. Since 2020, over $34 billion has flowed to Canada through major investments in the batteries and automotive supply chain, and that is just the beginning.

These investments are not distant promises. Factories are going up, equipment is coming in, and on top of that, developing new mines and new processing plants for a national EV supply chain will contribute upward of $16 billion to our annual GDP and create up to 40,000 well-paying jobs over the next decade for our children and our grandchildren. That is real economic growth with a real impact on real people's lives.

To realize these benefits, Canada has been building. We know that making the decision to switch to electric vehicles is a big step for most families. That is why we have invested in practical support. Canadians will benefit from a network of tens of thousands of electric vehicle chargers, funded by the zero-emission vehicle infrastructure program, and with the Canada Infrastructure Bank's deploying another 5,000 EV chargers, we are making sure charging is available for rural, remote and urban communities, ensuring range anxiety soon becomes a thing of the past.

Over the past weekend, I was at a local shopping mall. There were half a dozen chargers there, and every one of them was filled with someone filling up their car, which happens very quickly. They would move out and someone else would move in.

The electric vehicle availability standard that the Conservatives are opposing will actually incentivize the construction of thousands of new charging stations. We believe, on this side of the House, that Canadians deserve real, reliable information about their options. With every new charging station, every new awareness program and every new vehicle on the road, Canadians are moving forward, not backward.

Canadians across every province and territory are choosing electric. In 2024, approximately one in six vehicles sold produces zero emissions, and costs, contrary to some fears, are coming down. As manufacturing ramps up and technology improves, EVs are becoming more accessible, with over 80 models now available in various showrooms. For many, the switch is making life easier and more affordable by reducing fuel costs and maintenance costs. Cleaner vehicles also mean healthier air, something every Canadian wants regardless of where they live or how they vote.

The transition is also about more than private vehicles. Businesses are investing in greener fleets, municipalities are running zero-emission buses, and entrepreneurs from coast to coast are using Canadian know-how to manufacture parts and innovate new systems for the world. This is true Canadian leadership that we are hearing about every day: Canadian leadership at its best, building prosperity and protecting our environment at the same time. I would welcome my colleagues remaining in the House to become more supportive of this particular initiative, as it will be very helpful for our planet as we move forward.

Let us not forget why the work matters for our planet and our health. On-road transportation accounts for nearly a fifth of Canada's greenhouse gas emissions. By embracing new technology, we are fulfilling our responsibility to reduce our footprint, which is a responsibility for each and every one of us.

We are also meeting the clear demand from global markets. Our trading partners across Europe, Asia and North America are raising their standards and seeking cleaner vehicles. To keep selling Canadian-built cars and trucks, we must meet these expectations. We must stay competitive, or we will risk falling behind and losing economic ground, which is not at all what we want to see.

When we talk about the electrification of transportation, we cannot overlook the foundation that makes it possible. With Canada's wealth of critical minerals, from lithium to nickel, and cobalt to graphite, we are one of the only countries in the world with all of the ingredients required to produce advanced EV batteries from the ground up. That is an amazing and exciting opportunity for all of us.

Developing Canada's critical minerals is not just a matter of resource extraction; it is also about creating a strategic, national supply chain, generating high-quality, future-proof jobs and reinforcing Canadian economic sovereignty in an era of global uncertainty. Every new mine and processing facility means paycheques in resource communities, and know-how that stays right here at home.

Globally, demand for critical minerals is skyrocketing. As the world commits to cleaner vehicles and low-carbon energy, countries are racing to secure stable, responsible sources of these essential minerals. This is a generational chance for Canada to lead, to supply not only our auto sector and EV battery plants—

[The Assistant Deputy Speaker (Alexandra Mendès), Alexandra Mendes]

The hon. member for Sarnia—Lambton—Bkejwanong has the floor.

[Marilyn Gladu, Conservative, Sarnia—Lambton—Bkejwanong, ON]

Madam Speaker, the member opposite's speech gave a lot of details about the progress that is being made on electric vehicles. I am not opposed if somebody chooses to have one, but I can clearly see that people are not choosing them. We are at 7.5% uptake on them, even with government incentives in place.

It is also worrisome to me that after investing $55 billion to get some of the battery plants and supply chains going, many of which have gone bust or moved to the States, now the Liberals are thinking of mandating a $20,000-per-car penalty if people do not meet the quota. Does the member think it is a good idea to do that to the auto manufacturers in these difficult times, when clearly they would pass those costs on to the consumer?

[Judy Sgro, Liberal, Humber River—Black Creek, ON]

Madam Speaker, it is nice to see my colleague back. I find the whole industry very exciting. Within our own family, we have a brand new, great big van that seats seven people, so when we take long trips, we have a great vehicle to do that. However, the vehicle used most in our family is a small electric vehicle. We have had it about seven years, and it has been maintenance-free for seven years. There is absolutely no cost to running this little car, and it is the cleanest thing around. It is very enjoyable to drive. We do not realize just how noisy traditional vehicles are until we get into an EV vehicle and there is perfect peace and quiet. It is amazing, so I think it is exciting times going forward.

[Xavier Barsalou-Duval, Bloc, Pierre-Boucher—Les Patriotes—Verchères, QC]

Madam Speaker, I am pleased to see that my Liberal colleague intends to vote against the Conservative motion. I would have been very concerned if she had decided to vote with the Conservatives.

While she seems to be saying that we need to transition to electric vehicles, which is a great, her government is introducing more and more pro-oil industry policies. I am thinking in particular of Bill C‑5, the fact that they buy pipelines and the fact that they support carbon storage.

Will my colleague commit to trying to get her government to stop constantly working in favour of the oil companies? We cannot have it both ways. We need to choose a direction and follow it. We cannot keep moving in opposite directions.

[Judy Sgro, Liberal, Humber River—Black Creek, ON]

Madam Speaker, I want to assure my colleague that all members of the House, I believe, have the right intentions to make sure we are protecting our environment and moving forward in a positive, safe way. This is a great opportunity for Canada for jobs, for production and for us to move forward, but as we move forward, we need to do so while being sensitive to the environment we deal with every day. I believe that by working together, all members of the House, and putting our best out there, we can be successful and can protect our environment and our economy at the same time.

[Greg Fergus, Liberal, Hull—Aylmer, QC]

Madam Speaker, I would like to thank my colleague from Humber River—Black Creek, not only for her very interesting speech, but also for her perspective. In her long career here in Parliament, I imagine she has seen trends evolve.

Could she tell the House about the current trend toward electric vehicles? Can she tell us about the opportunity Canada has to become a leader not only in electric car production, but also in parts manufacturing? We have an opportunity to become a world leader in the production of electric vehicles and related products.

[Judy Sgro, Liberal, Humber River—Black Creek, ON]

Madam Speaker, yes, I have been here quite a few years, and at many different times I have seen new ideas and things try to move forward that do not necessarily succeed without political leadership.

I continue to call upon all of us as parliamentarians at a very challenging time in front of us. We can either crumple up and say that we cannot do anything about this and that we are just going to give up, or we can turn around and have the kind of leadership our current Prime Minister is showing, along with my colleagues, to move forward into the EV sector and to encourage people to look at and try out these new vehicles. I am sure that once people have actually been in one, they will not want to go back to the standard vehicle of before.

[Patrick Weiler, Liberal, West Vancouver—Sunshine Coast—Sea to Sky Country, BC]

Madam Speaker, it is a pleasure to rise to speak in opposition to the opposition day motion today, which, at the heart of it, is simply disinformation: disinformation about climate policy and disinformation about an affordability policy that, quite frankly, gives me flashbacks to the last government, where it seemed that week after week, the Conservatives would have a similar type of motion that they would bring forward.

Here the Conservatives are making the claim that Canada has a plan to completely ban gas-powered cars and that this would somehow drive up the cost of vehicles by $20,000. That is simply untrue. It is about a regulation that will progressively increase the number of light-duty cars that dealerships sell, which are zero-emissions vehicles in Canada: to 20% in 2026, 30% in 2030 and then up to 100% in 2035. What they fail to mention is that there are exemptions built in that allow for the purchase of plug-in hybrid vehicles for those parts of our country where electric vehicles are not as well suited.

Why do we have the regulation in the first place? Contrary to what Conservatives say, it is actually about choice. It is about having the choice to find an electric vehicle if someone wants one. It is no mistake that the provinces that have the highest adoption rate of electric vehicles are the ones that have had a standard for the purchase of electric vehicles, including Quebec and British Columbia, where sales were over 30% and 22%, respectively, last year. With those types of regulations, car dealerships will actually show the models on the floor to meet the demand that is there. If the standard is not there, they are going to prefer to have things on their lot like gas-powered cars, particularly SUVs, where we know the margins are much higher for them.

However, we also hear opponents of electric vehicles suggest that they are somehow a luxury product, but the facts again show otherwise. Over the lifetime of ownership of an electric vehicle, they will actually be much cheaper, because a Canadian driver today will save thousands of dollars each year at the pump. While gas prices will fluctuate, sometimes very wildly due to global instability, which is entirely outside of Canada's control, EV drivers are charging at a fraction of the cost.

To put it into context, at today's prices, the average Canadian driving 20,000 kilometres per year spends about $2,800 on gas. The same distance in an EV costs about $500 in electricity, so that is a saving of over $2,000 every year. That is before we even talk about maintenance. Anyone who owns a gas-powered car knows the cost of oil changes, engine repairs, exhaust systems and transmission issues, none of which actually apply to electric vehicles. Studies show that electric vehicles cost 40% less to maintain and repair than their gas-powered counterparts.

When we combine the fuel and maintenance savings, a typical Canadian family can expect to save about $20,000 over the lifetime of their vehicle. The PBO just released a report that confirmed that over the first three years of ownership, the higher initial purchase price of an electric vehicle, even without any incentives, will be made up on the operational savings.

I can speak to this very personally as someone who was able to purchase an electric vehicle just under two years ago. It is a very nice feeling knowing that I do not have to worry about what the prices at the pump are going to be, whether this is the time that the summer gasoline blend comes in, or whether whatever type of conflict is happening in the Middle East could jack up the prices. I know I can charge my vehicle in the comfort of my home rather than having to plan for those types of stops. I can do just about any round trip in my 13,000-square-kilometre riding in one charge on my car.

The other reason that it is important to move forward with this is that we are living in a climate crisis. Just in one community in my riding alone, the district of Squamish, has had three wildfires so far this year, and we are only in mid-June. We know that transportation accounts for about a quarter of Canada's emissions, so if we are serious about reducing our emissions in Canada and protecting our communities, then transportation, particularly light-duty vehicles, has to be part of the equation.

We know that electric vehicles emit about 80% less over the lifetime of the car than gas-powered alternatives do, even when we account for such things as battery manufacturing and Canada's current electrical grid. As our grid gets cleaner and we find more sustainable ways of mining and processing minerals and manufacturing vehicles, those emissions reductions are going to grow even more significantly.

We also know that less pollution means healthier communities. It also means fewer respiratory illnesses, fewer hospital visits and a better quality of life for our kids and grandkids, so this is also about public health. None of those benefits actually matters if Canadians cannot access electric vehicles in the first place. That is why the government introduced these regulations, to ensure that manufacturers actually bring EVs to the Canadian market. For too long, Canada was a dumping ground for gas vehicles while EVs were shipped elsewhere. Canadian consumers were left with long wait times.

I can speak personally. I waited over a year and a half to be able to purchase an electric vehicle. There are limited options, and we have inflated prices. Therefore, our regulations simply ensure that automakers prioritize Canada when deciding where to sell their electric vehicles so that Canadians are not left at the back of the line.

I want to be very clear. These regulations do not ban gas-powered cars; they simply create a level playing field in which Canadians can choose from a wide range of affordable, high-quality electric vehicles and hybrid vehicles, many of which are now being built right here in Canada.

That gets me to my next point. This transition is not only good for consumers and the environment, but it is good for our economy. Canada is increasingly becoming a global leader in electric vehicle manufacturing, battery production and clean technology. We are seeing historic investments in plants, battery factories and the mining of critical minerals. This is something for which there are opportunities from coast to coast to coast to create thousands of well-paying jobs in our country.

However, we do have challenges to seeing higher adoption of electric vehicles. With the depletion of the federal incentive for electric vehicles, and with its elimination in my home province of British Columbia as well, we are seeing a slowing of that demand. Therefore, it is really important that this gap be addressed so that we are able to continue to encourage people to adopt electric vehicles. Our government has made the commitment, as we reform the industrial carbon price, to ensure that big polluters in Canada are going to pay for incentives for individual Canadians to make those greener choices.

The other challenge we have is that, in Canada, we do not have a lot of the affordable models other countries have access to. We made the decision to bring in a 100% tariff on Chinese-made electric vehicles for understandable reasons, but we can also look to what other jurisdictions have done, such as the European Union, which has a smaller tariff geared more toward the specific impact of some of its unfair subsidies, as well as to protecting the nascent market it has there. There are a lot of affordable electric vehicles that are manufactured in some of our value-aligned countries but are not available right now in Canada. I think of places like Europe, Japan and South Korea. One thing we could do is find a way of harmonizing our vehicle certification standards so that vehicles approved for use there are available in Canada as well. This would have the impact of ensuring that we see a lot more of those EVs on the lower-cost end, which is where we are seeing some of the biggest challenges with adoption.

We have seen what happens when supply is limited: higher prices, long delays and frustration for families trying to do the right thing. The government believes Canadians deserve better. By leaning into this transition, we are securing Canada's place in the clean economy of the future while making sure that Canadians and communities benefit.

Opponents of these measures often talk about freedom of choice, but what choice do Canadians have if the vehicles they want are not available? Not all Canadians have the ability to buy EVs, because they are not available in all provinces. The ZEV availability standard is what is needed to make sure Canadians are able to have that choice. We see that the demand is there in metro Vancouver, where almost 70% of residents want an electric vehicle to be their next choice of vehicle. In my riding, the district of Squamish has the highest adoption rate of any metropolitan area in the country. The district of West Vancouver may have the highest adoption of any municipality. We see that the demand is there, but we need to make sure the supply is there. That is what these regulations are all about.

[Marilyn Gladu, Conservative, Sarnia—Lambton—Bkejwanong, ON]

Madam Speaker, I live in a rural part of Ontario where we have difficulty getting money to fix the roads all the time. The gas tax has been a good mechanism to make that happen. What is the government's solution as we transition to electric vehicles and those gas tax transfers decline, eventually going to zero, to keep the roads in repair?

[Patrick Weiler, Liberal, West Vancouver—Sunshine Coast—Sea to Sky Country, BC]

Madam Speaker, that is a really important question that we need to consider as we see lower revenues that go to fund some of those things.

There are ways that we can think of things. Perhaps, with public charging stations, there may be some of that tax that could go to fund some of those same things. Some jurisdictions have put a small tax on the registration for electric vehicles. I am thinking of Alberta. There are a lot of ways that can be done.

This is an overwhelmingly positive thing for our communities that we need to find ways of supporting rather than putting up roadblocks. We do need to find ways of ensuring that the infrastructure is going to be well supported and maintained for the long term.

[Xavier Barsalou-Duval, Bloc, Pierre-Boucher—Les Patriotes—Verchères, QC]

Madam Speaker, it is clear today that the Conservatives are on a crusade against electric vehicles. Looking back a few years, during the pandemic and even more recently, people could be waiting a year or two, maybe even three, to get the vehicle they wanted to buy.

Does my colleague agree that if we go back to saying that there is no need to force dealerships to sell electric vehicles, we risk ending up in the same situation where customers are sold what dealers want to sell, not what consumers want to buy, and that we will once again delay the necessary energy transition?

[Patrick Weiler, Liberal, West Vancouver—Sunshine Coast—Sea to Sky Country, BC]

Madam Speaker, I am one of those people who waited for an electric vehicle during the pandemic, so I am very familiar with this situation. We need measures like this so that the vehicles people want to buy are actually available for purchase. Continuing to improve how these vehicles are produced in Canada is one way to accelerate the transition. What is clear is that people want these vehicles, and we must do everything we can to make them available.

[Greg Fergus, Liberal, Hull—Aylmer, QC]

Madam Speaker, I would like to congratulate my colleague on the quality of his French. There is a strong trend around the world right now. Will the future lead to electric vehicles or not? If we know that the trend is going in that direction, would it not be better for the Canadian economy to have policies in place that can support this transition?

[Patrick Weiler, Liberal, West Vancouver—Sunshine Coast—Sea to Sky Country, BC]

Madam Speaker, I thank my colleague for giving me another opportunity to speak French in the House. We do know that this is the direction that the world is heading in. There are already countries such as China where it is cheaper to produce electric vehicles than gas‑powered ones. When everyone adds to the number of vehicles produced, prices will be even lower. Technology will also improve. We have to be ready for that. We want to see these vehicles made in Canada.