Canada and Quebec are urged to explore the Chinese electric vehicle market to support their goal of banning gasoline vehicles by 2035, as emphasized by MP Etienne Grandmont. With the government reassessing its target for two million electric vehicles by 2030, Environment Minister Benoît Charette indicates readiness to adjust goals if challenges arise. While the Parti Québécois prioritizes local vehicle promotion, concerns grow over the impact of U.S. political shifts on environmental commitments and vehicle emission standards.
Evaluating Options for Electric Vehicle Market Expansion
To achieve the ambitious goal of banning gasoline vehicle sales by 2035 and combat climate change effectively, Canada and Quebec may need to consider the potential of the Chinese electric vehicle market. This perspective is underscored by MP Etienne Grandmont, who emphasizes the urgency of taking action as the planet grapples with environmental crises.
“Exploring this option is crucial,” noted Etienne Grandmont, the spokesperson for Solidarity in Transport. “If we lose access to the American market due to substantial tariffs, we must have alternative pathways.” He stressed the importance of evaluating all available strategies to ensure Quebec and Canada remain at the forefront of the electric vehicle transition.
Government Reassessment and Environmental Commitments
Environment Minister Benoît Charette has recently highlighted the government’s intention to reassess its target of having two million electric vehicles on the roads by 2030. This evaluation in 2026 will be pivotal in determining the feasibility of maintaining the ban on new gasoline vehicle sales by 2035.
“We are currently ahead of schedule, but if we encounter challenges in the coming months, we are prepared to revisit our targets,” Charette informed our Parliamentary Office. The landscape has become more complex with the end of subsidies for electric vehicle purchases and the political shifts in the United States under President Donald Trump.
Trump’s administration is poised to promote fossil fuel infrastructure and has withdrawn from the Paris Climate Agreement, raising concerns about the future of vehicle emission standards. In light of these developments, Grandmont advocates for the critical evaluation of lifting the 100% tariff on Chinese electric vehicle imports.
“While I’m not suggesting we fully open our market to China, we must explore this option,” he clarified. “Our environmental commitments should not waver in response to external political pressures. The 2035 target is essential; we need to uphold this timeline as a minimum requirement.” With transportation contributing to 43% of Quebec’s greenhouse gas emissions, the urgency to act is more pressing than ever.
Conversely, the Parti Québécois asserts that it may be premature to consider opening the market to China for transportation electrification goals. Péquiste Joël Arseneau remarked, “It’s vital to focus on achieving our goals by promoting available vehicles in Quebec, rather than looking elsewhere at this stage.” Meanwhile, the interim leader of the Liberal Party of Quebec emphasized the need for a cohesive economic vision that aligns with national efforts to address the challenges posed by Trump’s administration.