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We have archived this page and will not be updating it.

You can use it for research or reference.

Making our cars cleaner and our cities healthier

Taking action

The Government of Canada will work with the provinces and territories to:

• Continue cutting emissions from cars, trucks and transport vehicles through emissions standards, fuel-efficient tire standards, and requirements for fuel saving technologies.
• Reduce emissions in the rail, aviation, marine and off-road sectors by improving efficiency and supporting fuel switching.
• Develop a national strategy for zero-emission vehicles in collaboration with provinces and territories.
• Invest in charging and fuelling stations for zero-emission and alternative fuel vehicles.
• Invest in public transit.
• Develop a clean fuel standard.

Transportation currently represents 23 percent of Canada’s greenhouse gas emissions. Our federal actions in coordination with provinces and territories will set Canada on a path to significantly reduce emissions, and make transportation easier.

With smart and strategic investments in transportation, we will not only reduce carbon pollution, but we will create well-paying jobs, and improve our quality of life at home, at work, and in our communities.

Zero-emission vehicles (ZEVs), like electric cars and fuel cell vehicles are an important area to focus on. As they become more common and affordable each year, they will support the transition to a low-carbon transportation system and reduce pollution in our cities and towns.

The Government of Canada will help improve ZEV infrastructure by working with provinces and territories to invest in more charging stations so that more Canadian families can commute and travel longer distances in zero emission cars. And we will also develop a national strategy for zero-emission vehicles with the provinces and territories.

Many countries are already moving in this direction and ahead of us. In 2015, 10 percent of all new vehicle sales in the Netherlands came from EVs. And in Norway, it was double that at 22 percent.

In Canada companies are innovating and creating jobs in the clean transportation sector such as making zero-emission electric buses.

We will continue improving standards so that our vehicles burn less fuel and emit less pollution. For instance, we are creating fuel efficient tire standards, and we are working with provinces and territories to require the installation of technologies that reduce emissions from our heavy-duty vehicles. We will also work to cut emissions from our planes, trains and ships at sea. This will reduce air pollution and improve the health of Canadians, and saves money for families and businesses on fuel.

We will work with provinces, industry and other partners to develop a clean fuel standard that will stimulate innovation and further reduce pollution. A well-designed clean fuel standard will create more ways for families and business to save money and reduce pollution. By promoting low carbon fuels and alternatives like electricity, biogas and hydrogen, we will achieve the equivalent of taking 7 million vehicles off the road by 2030.

When we look around the world, nations are installing high-speed transit networks, investing in electric transportation, and encouraging their citizens to be active by biking and walking through cities. The alternative – traffic jams and polluted urban centers – is just not an option. This is why we announced an investment of $25 billion to upgrade our public transit systems across the country over the next decade.

Canada is investing in clean and efficient transportation, and in doing so, is ensuring that Canadian families live in healthy and productive communities.