Used Engines Among Quebec’s Total Ban on Gas Vehicles by 2035

Fuelling up at a gas station in Mississauga, Ont., on Feb. 13, 2024. The Canadian Press/Christopher Katsarov

The government of Quebec is proposing regulations to ban the sale of all gasoline-powered vehicles, as well as the sale of used gas engines, by 2035.

The draft regulation, published in the July 10 edition of the Gazette Officielle du Québec, says the ban would take effect on Jan. 1, 2035.

“This regulation would apply to any vehicle propelled by a main or auxiliary engine which burns a fuel that emits pollutants during propulsion, such as gasoline, diesel, biodiesel, propane or hydrogen (in the case of an internal combustion engine),” according to a notice of public consultation on the draft regulation.

“The regulation would only authorize zero-emission vehicles (ZEVs), meaning fully electric vehicles or vehicles powered by a hydrogen fuel cell or any other zero-emission propulsion technology developed by 2035.”

The draft regulation estimates that switching to ZEVs will save consumers $2.1 million per year in energy costs, while costing businesses in the petroleum sector approximately $494,300 per year due to reduced fuel sales.

The regulation is aimed at increasing “the number of zero-emission motor vehicles in Quebec in order to reduce greenhouse gas and other pollutant emissions,” it reads.

After 2035, only electric vehicles will be permitted to be sold in the province, according to the regulation, which will also ban the sale of used gasoline-powered engines. An exemption is provided for replacement engines for vehicles of model year 2034 or earlier.

Anyone wishing to comment on the draft regulation must submit written comments before Aug. 25, according to the public consultation notice.

The federal government in December 2023 announced its own regulations to be phased in by 2035, although unlike Quebec’s plan, Ottawa’s plan doesn’t include engines—new or old. At the time, Environment Minister Steven Guilbeault said the government would require at least 20 percent of all new vehicle sales to be ZEVs by 2026, increasing to 60 percent by 2030 and 100 percent by 2035.

Mr. Guilbeault said the move would tackle one of the reasons that Canadians haven’t been switching to electric vehicles, namely a long wait time and limited availability.

Vehicle manufacturers will be issued credits under the Canadian Environmental Protection Act for the ZEVs they sell, which they can use, bank for use in future years, or sell to companies that don’t earn enough credits.

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency finalized its tailpipe emissions rules for the auto industry in March, requiring one-third of new car sales to be plug-in electrical vehicles by 2027, rising to over two-thirds by 2032.

The European Parliament had also approved legislation in February 2023 to ban all the sale of new petrol and diesel-powered vehicles in the European Union starting in 2035.

The decision means automakers must achieve a 100 percent cut in carbon emissions by 2035 for new cars sold. It also requires a 55 percent reduction in emissions from 2021 levels by 2030 for new vehicles sold.

The Canadian Press, Reuters, and Matthew Horwood contributed to this article.

Editor’s note: A previous version of this article incorrectly referenced a bill. In fact, the proposed changes are part of a draft regulation. The Epoch Times regrets the error.