The automakers are making a last-ditch appeal to try to revive talks in order to avoid years of uncertainty over what rules they will face.

The federal government has started to give away money to encourage people to buy electric cars, but before long it will have to decide how far it will go to force the market towards lower-emission vehicles.

Canada will review the joint vehicle emissions standards it has with the United States before it decides what to do about the U.S.'s plan to weaken those standards in the coming years.