Charging infrastructure gets a $19.1-million boost as change to Zero-Emission Vehicles Act now aligns with federal government

The government of British Columbia today announced a change to its Zero-Emission Vehicles Act (ZEVA), reducing the zero-emission vehicle (ZEV) sales target for 2035.

Originally passed into law on May 30, 2019, ZEVA mandated that 100 per cent of new vehicles sold in the province by 2035 be zero-emission. Today’s change reduces the share to 75 per cent for 2035.

This new provincial mandate aligns with the federal government’s own change in February, when it announced the repeal of the Electric Vehicle Availability Standard (EVAS) and the same reduction in sales targets to 75 per cent by 2035.

‘Recalibrating’ targets

“B.C. is a leader in electric vehicle (EV) adoption in North America, and in leading, we are giving people greater choice while reducing air pollution and emissions in our communities,” said Adrian Dix, Minister of Energy and Climate Solutions. 

“We are recalibrating our ZEV targets to be consistent with the federal government’s new ZEV policy and to give industry and consumers greater flexibility. We will continue to support British Columbians by expanding our charging networks that will use clean, made-in-B.C. energy to power vehicles.”

New funding for EV chargers

The province is also expanding investment in public EV charging, with $19.1 million earmarked for 75 new projects through the CleanBC Go Electric public charger program. The projects will include 277 DC fast-charger ports and 51 Level 2 ports, and are expected to serve up to 41 communities. 

According to information from the B.C. government, as of Jan. 1 there were more than 8,800 public charging ports in the province, with 6,443 Level 2 ports and 2,417 DC fast-charging ports, an increase of 86 per cent over last year. 

The updated regulation on sales targets is expected by fall and will likely retain the 26 per cent ZEV sales requirement for 2026 and 2027. The province will wait for the federal government’s plan on fleet emission standards before updating sales requirements for 2028 through 2030.

Cautious optimism

The announcement comes just two weeks after Ontario Premier Doug Ford called on B.C. Premier David Eby, along with Quebec Premier François Legault, to drop or limit their EV sales targets. Quebec had already lowered its targets from 100 per cent by 2035 to 90 per cent, and also included plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEVs) in its definition of ZEVs.

“I can assure Premier Ford that we are in fact amending our electric vehicle mandate to ensure it reflects the realities of today,” the CBC reported Eby saying at the time. 

Adam Thorn, clean growth director at the Pembina Institute, applauded the Eby government for maintaining an EV quota in light of “current economic and market conditions.”

“Sales requirements give clear and predictable market signals for automakers, utilities and charging network developers, helping ensure continued investment in charging infrastructure, electricity planning and the province’s growing EV economy,” he said in a statement.

The New Car Dealers Association of BC (NCDA) had voiced concerns in the past over the province’s quota-based requirements, urging a shift towards emission-based regulations rather than specific targets. But NCDA President and CEO Blair Qualey said in a statement that today’s announcement was “a step in the right direction.”

“We appreciate that government is listening to both industry and consumer concerns. For some time, we have been highlighting the growing gap between policy ambition and market reality. These changes reflect an important recognition that flexibility matters and that policy must evolve alongside consumers, not ahead of them.”