Liberals say by 2035 all new cars, light duty trucks sold in Canada will be electric

The Liberal government is speeding up its goal for when it wants to see all light-duty vehicles sold in Canada to be electric.

Transport Minister Omar Alghabra announced today that by 2035 all new cars and light-duty trucks sold in the country will be zero-emission vehicles.

Until now the government had set 2040 as the target for when it wants to see all passenger vehicles sold to be powered by this technology.

Alghabra cited a recent report from the International Energy Agency that says by 2035 nearly all new light-duty vehicle sales would have to be electric to achieve net-zero emissions by mid-century.

The Liberal government has already poured at least $300 million into a rebate program that offers consumers a break when they buy electric in hopes to get more zero-emission vehicles on the road.

Officials have warned that wasn't going to be enough to reach the federal government's first target of electric cars making up 10% of sales by 2025.

Environment Minister Jonathan Wilkinson said with the tougher goal the country would work with the United States on fuel efficiency and consult with stakeholders on new regulatory measures.