VANCOUVER, B.C.: The Canadian Taxpayers Federation is calling on the B.C. government to immediately cancel its plan to ban the sale of new gas and diesel vehicles as both the federal and Quebec governments back down on their bans. 

“Banning new gas and diesel vehicles would cost taxpayers billions to pay for new power plants, transmission lines and charging stations,” Carson Binda, B.C. Director for the CTF said. “Prime Minister Mark Carney delayed the federal ban on new gas and diesel vehicles by a year and is consulting about the future of the policy. The Quebec government is dialing back its ban.

“It’s time for British Columbia to scrap its plan to ban new gas and diesel vehicles.” 

B.C.’s Zero Emissions Vehicle Act will totally ban the sale of new gas and diesel vehicles by 2035. 

More than half of British Columbians (55 per cent) oppose the ban on the sale of gas and diesel vehicles, according to polling from Leger.   

Ottawa has paused its gas and diesel vehicle ban while the federal government reviews the policy. Quebec has also begun backing away from its provincial ban on new gas and diesel vehicles. 

“Ottawa and other provinces are all retreating from this floundering policy,” Binda said. “B.C.’s finance minister just released the worst fiscal update in our provincial history, with debt interest charges costing taxpayers about $100 million every week — we can’t afford this policy.”

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