Media Contacts

Kent Karemaker

Media Relations
Ministry of Energy, Mines and Petroleum Resources
250 952-0628

Backgrounders

ZEVA makes it easier to own zero-emission vehicles

CleanBC invests $902 million over three years for programs and tax credits, making B.C. the leader in Canada in tackling climate change and protecting the province’s clean air, land and water. 

The latest statistics indicate British Columbia has the highest per capita electric-vehicle adoption rate in Canada (4% of new light-duty vehicle sales in 2018 and over 6% of new light-duty vehicle sales in the first quarter of 2019). 

The CEVforBC program offers point-of-sale incentives of up to $5,000 for the purchase or lease of a new battery electric or plug-in hybrid electric vehicle and up to $6,000 for a hydrogen fuel-cell vehicle for vehicles that have a starting price of less than $77,000. 

In addition to the provincial incentives offered, as of May 1, 2019, the federal government announced a rebate of $5,000 for electric vehicles that have a manufacturer’s list price of less than $45,000.

The BC Scrap-It Program is also offering an incentive of $6,000 for the purchase of a new electric vehicle, and $3,000 for the purchase of a used electric vehicle, when an internal combustion vehicle is scrapped. The BC Scrap-It electric vehicle incentives are funded by industry and are almost fully allocated for 2019. They will be available again in 2020.

B.C. government support for clean energy vehicle infrastructure includes:

  • CleanBC presents a plan co-ordinated with utilities, other governments and private sector partners to roll out infrastructure aligned with the increasing zero-emission vehicle targets.
  • By the end of 2018, there were over 1,700 public charging stations throughout B.C., including 92 public DC fast charging sites with another 72 DC fast charging sites planned to be complete by the start of 2020. 
  • Budget 2019 includes another $20 million for public fast charging and hydrogen fuelling stations, and $5 million for home and workplace charging incentives. 
  • Under CleanBC, BC Hydro, FortisBC and the Province are continuing to work with local governments and private sector companies to deploy public charging stations along all primary and secondary highways, and major roads throughout B.C. 
  • B.C. has one of the largest public charging networks in Canada and the first public hydrogen fuelling station. There is one public hydrogen fuelling station in Vancouver, with five more planned to be completed by 2020.