Québec Solidaire proposes ban on sales of gas-powered cars by 2030

Québec Solidaire is promising to dramatically lower greenhouse gas emissions in the province.

In order to do so, the party wants gas-powered cars off Quebec roads by the year 2050. Dealerships would have to stop selling them by the year 2030 and hybrid cars would stop being sold by 2040.

To support the transition, Québec Solidaire would inject $7.6 billion to beef up public transit, and increase subsidies to Quebec consumers who buy electric cars.

The current amount car owners can get from the government for buying electric is $8,000.

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Environmental group Equiterre thinks the proposal is feasible. “What is being put forward by Quebec Solidaire today is very reasonable and is the same vein, the same type of timeline as France and the U.K.,” said Equiterre’s Sidney Ribaux.

But would it work in Quebec? The spokesperson for CAA-Québec says it is an inspiring proposal, just not a practical one.

“It is too soon and too fast and we need to give more options to consumers,” said CAA spokesperson, Annie Gauthier.

The problem, she says, is with access. Gauthier says it is already a challenge to find an electric car in dealerships and many people are already on waiting lists.

“We have to remember that there is no car market in Quebec. The car market is North American, so it is not something that affects Quebec. We are forward thinkers, but we have to find other ways to make it work,” said Gauthier.

Two per cent of Quebecers currently drive electric vehicles. Québec Solidaire says its election proposal would help reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 50 per cent.