Whereas the Prime Minister of Canada and the Premiers of BC and most provinces signed the Pan-Canadian Framework on Clean Growth and Climate Change in 2016, endorsing a policy shift that could substantially reduce greenhouse gas GHG pollution from transportation while funding public transit improvements, including inter-city and commuter bus and rail service; And whereas the transportation sector is the second-largest contributor of GHG pollution in Canada, representing 23 of total emissions: Therefore be it resolved that local governments call on the Governments of Canada and British Columbia to fully implement their commitment in the Pan-Canadian Framework on Clean Growth and Climate Change, to shift investments from higher to lower-emitting types of transportation.
Ministry of Energy, Mines and Petroleum Resources British Columbia is a leader in clean transportation, with a world-leading hydrogen and fuel cell industry, the highest electric vehicle adoption rate in North America in 2019 9 of new light-duty vehicle sales, and one of the largest public charging networks in Canada. Under CleanBC, BC Hydro, FortisBC, and the Province are continuing to work with local governments and private sector companies to deploy public charging stations for electric vehicles along all primary and secondary highways, and major roads throughout British Columbia. BC introduced the Clean Energy Vehicle Program in 2011 and has since committed more than 195 million to make Zero Emission Vehicles more affordable and reduce GHG emissions. The Clean Energy Vehicle CEV Program has been highly successful in: reducing market barriers; encouraging the adoption of CEVs by British Columbians; leveraging private, municipal and federal investment in CEVs and infrastructure in BC; and supporting new economic opportunities in the CEV sector. The CEV Program provides incentives for zero-emission light-duty vehicles, trucks, buses, and airport and port ground equipment, and makes investments in infrastructure, training, and public outreach. Budget 2019 includes over 107 million to help British Columbians switch to clean transportation options including 90 million for CEV Program initiatives. The CleanBC-GoElectric suite of programs supports rebates for vehicles and infrastructure across all vehicle classes, in addition to research, training, public awareness and economic development in the clean transportation sector. On May 29, 2019 the Province also passed the Zero-Emission Vehicles Act ZEV Act, delivering on a key commitment the government made in its CleanBC plan. The ZEV Act will require that automakers ensure an increasing percentage of vehicle sales in BC are zero-emission models, offering British Columbians more choice of ZEVs. CleanBC also made a commitment to speed up the switch to cleaner fuels in the transportation sector by increasing the low carbon fuel standard to 20 by 2030, and increasing the supply of cleaner fuels in BC Lastly, CleanBC also committed to make vehicles run cleaner by increasing tailpipe emissions standards for vehicles sold after 2025.