The Government of B.C. is dropping some very ambitious zero-emission vehicle targets, and also expanding the province’s charging network.
B.C. previously had a zero-emission vehicle sales target of 100 percent by 2035. It has now been reduced to 75 per cent.
According to a release from the B.C. Ministry of Transportation, the amendment is to support automakers “while continuing to boost consumer choice and affordability for people switching to zero-emission vehicles (ZEV).”
Adrian Dix, Ministry of Energy and Climate Solutions, says that the changes align with the federal government’s policies.
“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 Dix in a statement.
“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.”
B.C. previously announced changes to how electric vehicle sales would work in the province in November 2025. It also paused and eventually scrapped the Go Electric Passenger Vehicle Rebate Program on May 15, 2025, which had offered buyers up to $4,000 off purchases of electric vehicles.
B.C. is also rolling back another plan it had for 2035 in banning the sale of new combustion-engine vehicles. In a release, the ministry says it is “removing the prohibition on the sale of new internal-combustion-engine vehicles from Jan. 1, 2035.”
“Amendments to the regulation will be made by fall 2026. The updated regulation is expected to retain the 26% ZEV sales compliance requirement for 2026 and 2027. Compliance requirements for 2028-30 will be informed by federal plans on its fleet emission standards expected in summer 2026,” the ministry says.
Former Conservative Party of B.C. leader John Rustad slammed the NDP’s initial announcements regarding the slashing of targets.
In other news from the announcement, B.C. says there are 75 new public EV charging projects funded in communities throughout the province.