Minister of Transport announces funding to support clean energy adoption in the trucking sector

OTTAWA, ON, Aug. 31, 2023 /CNW/ - Canadians want a cleaner transportation system as part of Canada's transition to a greener future. The Government of Canada is taking additional action to accelerate the integration of zero-emission technologies in the trucking industry, addressing climate change while simultaneously building an economy that works for everyone.

Today, the Minister of Transport, the Honourable Pablo Rodriguez, announced an investment of nearly $3 million under the Zero-Emission Trucking Program to support of three projects in Québec, British Columbia and Nova Scotia.

Of this investment, $1.5 million will be used to establish a Zero-Emission Trucking Testbed in the Montréal area. The Testbed, launched in collaboration with FPInnovations, will collect real-world performance data in Canadian conditions to speed up the reduction of pollution from medium- and heavy-duty on-road transportation.

Two additional investments, totalling just over $1.3 million in Government of Canada support, will enable projects in British Columbia and Nova Scotia to gain information on: zero emission truck performance, the development of training materials, and required provincial planning to support the safe deployment of zero emission trucking technologies. The British Columbia project will support commercial vehicle pilots, training, and knowledge-sharing activities to communicate their findings to a wide audience of stakeholders. The Nova Scotia project will study the province's technical needs, including the types and number of vehicles and refueling/recharging stations required, and will develop guidelines to inform the adoption of medium- and heavy-duty zero-emissions vehicles.

In addition, a new call for proposals under the Zero-Emission Trucking Program is currently open until October 3, 2023. Eligible projects can receive up to $1 million to advance efforts towards zero-emission trucking.

The Government of Canada has set an ambitious target of 100 per cent for new medium-and heavy-duty vehicle sales to be zero-emission vehicles by 2040, where feasible. Through these projects, the government is taking direct action to support industry, provinces and territories to deploy and gain firsthand experience with medium- and heavy-duty zero-emission vehicles.

"Medium- and heavy-duty vehicles contribute significantly to pollution in Canada, and our government remains committed to helping the trucking industry transition towards cleaner alternatives. Today's announcement is great news for the sector in helping facilitate that transition. The Zero-Emission Trucking Program is just one action our government is taking to reduce pollution, promote good jobs, and build a better economy for all Canadians."

The Honourable Pablo Rodriquez
Minister of Transport

• The transportation sector is Canada's second-largest source of pollution. Supporting the transition to zero-emission vehicles is a significant part of Canada's $9.1-billion Emissions Reduction Plan to meet Canada's Paris Agreement target for 2030 and get on track for net-zero emissions by 2050.
• Canada's Action Plan for Clean On-Road Transportation, a comprehensive strategy to help Canadians and Canadian businesses make the switch to zero-emission vehicles and reduce pollution from on-road transportation, was released in 2022. This plan outlines the Government of Canada's strategy to reduce emissions from on-road transportation and achieve net-zero emissions by 2050, including a commitment to develop a medium- and heavy-duty zero-emission vehicle regulation to require 100 per cent of new medium- and heavy-duty vehicle sales to be zero-emission vehicles by 2040, where feasible
• The Zero-Emission Trucking Program serves as an important complement to the Incentives for Medium- and Heavy-Duty Zero-Emission Vehicle Program by:
• supporting critical investments at the Motor Vehicle Test Centre, Transport Canada's automotive testing and research centre located in Blainville, Quebec, to safely test and evaluate the operation of zero-emission trucking technologies; and by
• accelerating regulatory readiness and addressing barriers to the adoption of zero-emission trucking solutions for Canada's largest, heaviest trucks to support attainment of Canada's emissions reduction targets.
• Program funding is supporting safety testing, collaboration with provinces and territories, the development and modernization of guidelines, codes and standards, establishing trucking testbeds to support early deployments, and facility upgrades at the Government's Motor Vehicle Test Centre to support future heavy-duty zero-emission vehicle compliance testing and research.
• A new call for proposals was launched this summer. It is intended to fund additional zero-emission trucking projects across Canada and is open to a broader contingent of eligible recipients. Applicants are invited to submit a proposal to Transport Canada by October 3, 2023, at 17:00 Eastern Standard Time, through the Zero-Emission Trucking Program online application portal.

• Zero-Emission Trucking Program (canada.ca)
• Zero-Emission Trucking Program Call for Proposals ? Applicant's Guide
• Incentives for Medium- and Heavy-Duty Vehicles Program
• Canada's Action Plan for Clean On-Road Transportation
• 2030 Emissions Reduction Plan: Clean Air, Strong Economy

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SOURCE Transport Canada