On November 16, the Government of Quebec unveiled the Plan for a Green Economy 2030 (PEV 2030), accompanied by its first implementation plan for the period 2021-2026. The directions set out inthis plan commit Quebec to an ambitious project, namely the transition to a green, resilient and more prosperous economy by 2030, powered by clean electricity.
PEV 2030 is supported by significant resources. Over the next five years, $6.7 billion will be invested to meet the climate challenge and make Quebec a leader in the green economy.
The priority is to replace fossil fuels as much as possible with our low-carbon electricity in the transportation, industry and building sectors. We will invest heavily so that our industries use hydroelectricity and other renewable energies. We will also use our electricity more to heat our buildings and halve emissions related to building heating compared with 1990 levels.
With transportation responsible for more than 43% of Quebec's greenhouse gas emissions, particular attention is being paid to electrifying this sector. The targets are particularly ambitious:
- 1.5 million electric vehicles registered in Quebec by 2030;
- The electrification of 65% of school buses, 55% of urban buses and 40% of taxis by 2030;
- 100% of passenger vehicles sold will be electric vehicles and the sale of gasoline-powered vehicles will be banned in 2035.
The energy supply for all these vehicles will be ensured by an expanded charging station network. In addition to residential and workplace chargers, Hydro-Québec will ensure that its network includes up to 4,500 standard public charging stations in downtown areas by 2028 and 2,500 public fast-charging stations by 2030.
Furthermore, the government is allocating $3.6 billion to the transport sector alone, to which will be added unprecedented investments of $15.8 billion in public transit as part of the Quebec Infrastructure Plan 2020-2030. Major electric public transit projects have already been given the green light.
We also announced our intention to strengthen the zero-emission vehicle (ZEV) standard for light vehicles and to adopt one for heavy vehicles. An amount of $225 million is allocated to programs that will promote the electrification of trucks and commercial vehicle fleets.
The state will lead by example by prioritizing the electrification of its own light vehicle fleet. By 2030, all of the government's cars, vans, minivans and sport utility vehicles (SUVs) and a quarter of its pickup trucks will be electrified. The charging station network in government buildings will also be strengthened. Electrifying the government's vehicle fleet and deploying charging facilities will serve as technological showcases and constitute an important lever for the development of these emerging sectors, while contributing to their international prominence.
Support for the electrification sector
The major undertaking of electrifying transportation represents an exceptional opportunity for economic growth and development for all industries that will be linked to it.
Quebec has everything it takes to benefit from the global enthusiasm surrounding electric vehicles. Aside from automobiles, we manufacture almost everything related to land transport: scooters, bicycles, snowmobiles, buses, special vehicles (ambulances, waste collection trucks), freight trucks, light rail vehicles and trains. The entire Quebec transportation electrification sector, of which you are a part, is at work, and it certainly does not lack ambition!
We will try to go even further. The deployment of theQuebec Strategy for the Development of the Battery Sector will enable the exploitation and processing of minerals from Quebec's territory to manufacture battery components, produce electric commercial vehicles and develop battery recycling using Quebec's cutting-edge technologies. Furthermore, the implementation of theQuebec Plan for the Valorization of Critical and Strategic Minerals 2020-2025 will promote the growth of value chains for critical and strategic minerals, including lithium.
While Quebec's economy is being hard hit by the current health crisis, the government believes that economic recovery can be achieved in part through promising projects in transportation electrification that will create jobs in Quebec and contribute to its prosperity.
Together, let's seize the opportunity offered by the fight against climate change to enrich Quebec and raise its international profile!
This sponsored content was produced as part of the Impulsion MTL 2020 event – The International Forum on Fleet Management.
