Toronto, ON – A coalition of health and climate organizations from across Canada released the following statement in response to the federal automotive strategy announced today:
“As organizations working to protect the health of people in Canada and tackle rising greenhouse gas emissions, we welcome the federal government’s new automotive strategy and the return of rebates that make electric vehicles more affordable.
“Our support for the Electric Vehicle Availability Standard (EVAS) has always been grounded in its clear benefits for human health and the climate. The Atmospheric Fund (TAF) analysis, based on Health Canada data, showed the EVAS in its original form would result in $90 billion in health benefits for Canadians over the next 25 years, preventing up to 11,000 premature deaths, and avoiding 362 megatonnes of carbon emissions and harmful air pollution.
“The government’s new strategy, which replaces the EVAS with strengthened vehicle emissions standards, risks compromising these significant health and climate benefits. Historically, Canada’s greenhouse gas emissions standards for vehicles have been ineffective in reducing emissions, achieving only 1% fleetwide reductions since 2011. If strengthened vehicle emissions standards are to achieve comparable climate and health benefits to the EVAS, a new and more ambitious approach is clearly needed. New measures are also needed to ensure the availability of EVs, otherwise restored incentives will lead to long waiting lists and uneven access across provinces.
“That’s why our coalition is calling on the federal government to promptly consult on and implement ambitious greenhouse gas regulations aligned with the EU vehicle safety and emission regulations. Alignment with EU standards will allow for faster regulation development while expanding access to affordable EVs in Canada.
“We encourage the Government of Canada to act swiftly in implementing these measures. Accelerating the shift to electric vehicles will boost Canada’s competitiveness, strengthen public health, ease pressure on our healthcare system, and cut greenhouse gas emissions — benefits that will be felt by everyone in Canada.”
Coalition Signatories
- Bryan Purcell, VP Policy and Programs, The Atmospheric Fund (TAF)
- Jeffrey Beach, President and CEO, Asthma Canada
- Robb Barnes, Climate Program Director, Canadian Association of Physicians for the Environment
- Ian Culbert, Executive Director, Canadian Public Health Association
- Doris Grinspun, CEO, Registered Nurses’ Association of Ontario
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