Québec signs the Driving Change Together declaration on electric mobility initiated by Poland at the 24th United Nations Conference on Climate Change

Québec, December 4, 2018. – In the light of the clear indication by the Premier of Québec, François Legault that the electrification of transportation would be a priority, the new Government of Québec has announced that is signing today’s Driving Change Together – Katowice Partnership for e-mobility initiative, which was submitted by Poland as this year’s Chair of the 24^th Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (COP-24). 

Signatory governments of this declaration acknowledge e-mobility as one of the key ways of reaching the goals of the Paris Agreement. They also commit to implementing a series of measures to accelerate the transition to zero-emission vehicles (ZEV) in order to ensure the growth of the electric vehicle market and foster the development of new technologies in this field. 

As Québec is benefiting from clean and renewable energy, a reliable electricity delivery network and an innovative industrial base comprised of a hub of world-class companies at various levels of the smart electric transportation value chain, it is only fitting that it has geared towards the electrification of transportation and made it a flagship measure of its climate action.  

As set out in the Premier’s Speech from the Throne, the new Government of Québec intends to not only maintain, but speed up the efforts that have already begun to foster the electrification of transportation. Initiatives such as a ZEV standard for automobile manufacturers, funding for home and office charging stations, the development of an extended network of charging stations throughout all Québec regions, and zero-emission vehicle benefits such as toll-free bridge passage will continue in the coming years to reduce the environmental footprint of Québec’s transportation network.  

Noteworthy is that 43% of all electric vehicles on Canadian roads are now licensed in Québec, with the number of electric vehicles markedly rising in recent months. 

Quote: 

“The Driving Change Together – Katowice Partnership for e-mobility initiative is fully in line with our government’s goals. This is why we are pleased to sign on to it. In addition to reducing GHG emissions in the transportation sector–which is the main source of emissions in Québec–driving electric vehicles will enrich us by replacing imported petroleum imports with clean electric power produced at home. As well, the industrial cluster we are in the process of building in this sector will enable us to increase our exports while helping to fight climate change. By signing this policy declaration, we are demonstrating our resolve to speed up the process and support the mobilization of other jurisdictions that share our ambitions.” 

MarieChantal Chassé, Minister of the Environment and the Fight against Climate Change 

Highlights: 

• In its declaration, the Government of Poland proposes making e-mobility a permanent topic of discussion at the Conferences of the Parties and creating the Katowice Partnership for e-mobility network. The network will bring together the various international partnerships that are now working to advance e-mobility, including cities, national and subnational governments and non-governmental organizations, by fostering knowledge sharing so as to accelerate the local and international transition to e-mobility. Members will meet at least once a year.
  
  
• In September 2018, during the San Francisco Global Climate Action Summit, Québec took up the Zero Emission Vehicle Challenge, which was launched by the Coalition Under 2 to all of its members. In tackling this challenge, Québec intends to show exemplary action by only purchasing zero-emission vehicles for its fleet of government vehicles by 2030; offering consumers and companies rebates on the purchase price of zero-emission vehicles, and fostering the growth of the charging infrastructure that is needed to support massive ZEV use. These actions are now being implemented in Québec. 

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Marie Julie Couturier
Press Officer
Cabinet of the Minister of Environment and the Fight against Climate Change
Telephone: 418-521‑3911

Media Relations
Ministère de l’Environnement
et de la Lutte contre les changements climatiques
Telephone: 418-521-3991