Transport Canada introduces new medium- and heavy-duty zero-emissions vehicle incentives. Globalnews.ca

Transport Canada has launched a new incentive to make it easier for businesses across Canada to purchase zero-emissions vehicles.

On Monday, Transport Minister Omar Alghbra was at the Fraunhofer Innovation Platform for Composites Research in south-east London to announce a program for medium- and heavy-duty zero-emissions vehicles.

The program “offers an incentive of approximately 50 percent of the price difference between an electric vehicle and a conventional vehicle, ranging from $10,000 to $200,000, depending on the type of vehicle applicants.”

“In Canada, medium and heavy vehicles are a major source of pollution on our roads. Many Canadian businesses want to help reduce pollution by switching to a zero-emissions vehicle, and our government is committed to ensuring that where If possible, 100 percent of medium and heavy-duty vehicle sales should be zero-emissions by 2040,” Alghbra said.

“This new program will help Canadian businesses, organizations and governments transition to medium- and heavy-duty vehicles.”

Alghbra said the government is investing about $550 million through the program to help companies make the switch.

The incentive will be applied at the point of sale by a dealership or other authorized vendors such as original equipment manufacturers and vehicle finishers and distributors.

The government said this would be directly reflected in the sale or lease agreement on eligible medium and heavy duty ZEVs purchased or leased on or after the vehicle’s eligibility date.

Applications to apply for the incentive will be available in the coming months, with requests for reimbursement becoming available in the fall of 2022.

To be eligible under the program, the vehicle must meet all Canadian motor vehicle safety standards and is intended for use on public roads, roads and highways, and the applicant must be a registered Canadian business located in Canada.

Zero-emission vocational on-road trucks, such as garbage or dump trucks, will yards/shunts and dredge trucks, will be eligible for incentives. Zero-emissions shuttle or coach buses will also be eligible.

But not all medium- or heavy-duty vehicles are included, with Transport Canada saying it can exclude certain types of vehicles such as transit buses, school buses, recreational vehicles or off-road vehicles.

The transportation agency said only new vehicles are eligible for the incentive, with funds not available for those looking to convert an existing internal combustion engine vehicle to a zero-emissions vehicle.

Daniel Breton, President and CEO of Electro Mobility Canada, said the incentives are a great way to move Canada toward reducing a significant amount of greenhouse gas emissions and creating sustainable jobs for Canadians.

“Medium- and heavy-duty vehicles contribute to black carbon and nitrogen emissions. To give you an example, between Monday and Saturday, diesel trucks on highways generate about 80 percent of black carbon emissions, compared to only about one percent of vehicles on the road. represent,” Breton said.

“Electric vehicles and zero-emissions vehicles go far beyond cars, and we are pleased to see that medium and heavy duty vehicles are increasingly focused on electric transit vehicles, school buses, trucks, marine vehicles, off-road vehicles is going, and soon we will see zero-emissions aircraft. ”

With files from Global News ‘Andrew Graham’