Electrifying transport is good, but reducing dependence on the automobile is even better, underlines a study published earlier this week by the citizen collective Solon. During the election campaign, several parties made commitments in favor of the electrification of transport, but the issues of growth in the car fleet and the size of vehicles were rarely addressed.
In Quebec, motorists are encouraged to buy an electric vehicle to reduce their greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions – although, for the moment, manufacturers are struggling to supply demand. A subsidy of $7,000 is offered for electric vehicles under $60,000. This strategy has virtues, but it does not solve the source of the problem, estimates Mickaël Brard, consultant in sustainable mobility and climate change, who signed a study on the challenges of electrification of transport on behalf of the Solon group.
Quebec has a motorization rate that is increasing faster than the North American and European average and the number of light trucks (SUVs and pick-ups) quadrupled between 1990 and 2018, he points out in his study. This category also represents nearly 80% of new passenger vehicle sales in 2020.
Which makes Mickaël Brard say that financing the purchase of individual electric cars may not have the expected effects in terms of GHG reduction. An electric car emits fewer GHGs, but if the gas-powered car it replaces remains in circulation, the effect is limited. “Electrifying the individual car means putting a patch on a hole. We should rather fight against dependence on the car, ”says Mickaël Brard. ” A person […] who decides on their own to abandon one or all of the cars in the household will bring much more benefits and GHG reductions than someone who simply buys an electric car. »
In addition, the electric car does not solve the issues of traffic congestion, use of public infrastructure, urban sprawl and road safety, he points out.
Electrification should above all target sectors that really need it, such as professional fleets, shared vehicles and the population in rural areas, believes the consultant. In urban areas, more compact electric cars should be preferred, he adds. But Mickaël Brard insists that living environments must be taken into account because it is easier for city dwellers to opt for public or active transport, whereas in the regions, the car is often essential. “We need an approach adapted to cases and regions and get out of the simplistic debates of ‘for or against the car'”, he recalls.
Mobility in the countryside
The five main parties involved in the election campaign mentioned the need to continue the electrification of the vehicle fleet to reduce GHG emissions and to develop the network of charging stations. But the solutions proposed to tackle other transport-related problems vary from one political formation to another, noted Mickaël Brard.
The parties generally agree on the need to finance the development of public transit networks, although in this regard, the Conservative Party of Quebec (PCQ) is proposing a moratorium on the tramway project in Quebec. The Coalition avenir Québec (CAQ), Québec solidaire (QS) and the Parti Québécois (PQ) have mentioned in their respective programs the need to improve infrastructure for active transportation and cycling. Solidarity and PQ also proposed to support car sharing more generously.
But according to Mickaël Brard, a real divide is emerging between the parties on the question of the place of the car. The CAQ and the PCQ both support the 3e link between Quebec and Lévis. While the Conservatives suggest widening Highways 20 and 40 to improve traffic flow, the Liberals warn that if they are elected, there will be no new highway projects in metropolitan areas until that more global analyzes on mobility are not made. For their part, the péquistes and the solidarity are proposing measures to limit the increase in road capacity.