August 25, 2026
For immediate release

The Quebec government is impoverishing Quebecers and enriching Americans by weakening its Zero-Emission Standard

MONTREAL – Last week, the Quebec government quietly changed the zero-emission standard in a way that significantly weakened it. Under this weakened standard, the number of electric and plug-in hybrid vehicles will decrease by 800,000 by 2030 and by 1.4 million by 2035, to be completely replaced by an equivalent number of gasoline-powered vehicles, significantly increasing our consumption of imported fuel.

This decision by the Government of Quebec, according to its own estimates, will have an overall cost of at least $17 billion, but we believe this figure is significantly underestimated.

While Quebec’s prosperity is largely built on Hydro-Québec’s clean electricity, which belongs to Quebecers, the government has instead chosen to enrich oil companies, the majority of which are American-owned.

According to the report The State of Energy 2026, 35% of our oil imports came from the United States and 65% from Canada in 2024.

It is important to note that the oil we import from Western Canada is itself largely owned by American companies. In an article published in L’Actualité magazine in 2025, Karel Mayrand noted the following: Four members of the Pathways Alliance, one of Canada’s major oil industry lobbies, account for 80% of oil sands production on their own. Overall, ownership of these four companies is 73% foreign, including 60% American.

Moreover, Quebec’s number one imported product is crude and refined petroleum. In May 2026 alone, these imports cost more than $1.2 billion.

“Quebec’s Premier claims to want to fight the rising cost of living and protect Quebec from American policies. But in reality, the government has chosen to prolong our dependence on oil under American control rather than accelerate our energy independence through the clean electricity that belongs to us. Weakening the ZEV Standard will make Quebec consumers poorer while benefiting American oil and traditional automotive lobbies. Just days before the launch of the election campaign, the government must reverse this decision, which is harmful to Quebecers from an economic, environmental, and public health perspective.

If the outgoing government is determined to enrich Americans at the expense of Quebecers, it should put its proposal before the public during the election campaign,” said Daniel Breton, President and CEO of Electric Mobility Canada.

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Media Contact
Anna Schuett, Communications Director
Anna.schuett@emc-mec.ca
(514) 787-2757

Electric Mobility Canada is the unifying and authoritative voice for the transition to electric transportation across Canada. Founded in 2006, EMC is the national industry association that enables and accelerates the transition to sustainable electric mobility through advocacy, collaboration, education, and thought leadership, with the ultimate goal of creating a cleaner, healthier, and more prosperous future for all Canadians.