Is Canada still requiring 100% of new light-duty vehicles to be zero-emission by 2035?

That was the federal rule, but it is being repealed. In August 2026 Ottawa formally proposed removing the 100%-by-2035 EV sales requirement and replacing it with a policy direction targeting 75% EV sales by 2035 and 90% by 2040.

The existing Passenger Automobile and Light Truck Greenhouse Gas Emission Regulations contain binding EVAS requirements of 20% ZEVs for model year 2026, 60% for 2030 and 100% for 2035 and beyond. On August 15, 2026, the federal government published proposed amendments in Canada Gazette, Part I that would repeal all EVAS ZEV requirements. The government says it plans future greenhouse-gas standards designed to put Canada on a path toward 75% EV sales in 2035 and 90% in 2040. Until the repeal is finalized, the old requirements remain in the regulations even though the government has announced its intention to replace them.

As of September 6, 2026, technically yes — the existing federal regulation still contains the 100%-by-2035 zero-emission-vehicle requirement. But it is no longer the government's intended policy: on August 15 Ottawa published proposed amendments that would repeal all of those ZEV sales requirements and replace that approach with future greenhouse-gas standards aimed at 75% EV sales by 2035 and 90% by 2040. So presenting 100% by 2035 as settled future policy is outdated, while saying it has already been legally repealed is premature.

The Electric Vehicle Availability Standard adopted in 2023 really does require ZEVs to represent 20% of new model-year 2026 light-duty vehicles, 60% in 2030 and 100% in 2035 and later model years. Those provisions remain in the current regulation until a repeal is finalized. The government has also clearly committed to changing course and formally published draft regulations to remove the ZEV percentage requirements.

Two opposite simplifications are now misleading. Saying Canada still has an unchanged, settled '100% EV mandate by 2035' ignores the government's formal repeal proposal and new policy direction. Saying the mandate 'has been repealed' also goes too far as of September 6: the August 15 Canada Gazette publication is a proposed amendment, not yet the final regulation. The replacement 75%-by-2035 and 90%-by-2040 figures are government goals to be pursued through future Canada-specific greenhouse-gas standards, not the same kind of binding sales quota currently written into EVAS.

The EV mandate has been used by both supporters and opponents as a shorthand for Canada's climate policy. The rules have now materially changed, so old talking points can become misinformation simply by becoming outdated.

The repeal has been proposed but is not yet final. The exact legal form and timing of the replacement greenhouse-gas standards — including how the 75% and 90% policy targets will be implemented — remain subject to the regulatory process.

Final publication of the repeal or a replacement regulation would change the legal-status portion of this answer and should trigger an immediate update.

Primary federal regulations containing the 2035 ZEV requirement. This is a policy-status question, so the authoritative regulation is more appropriate than a politician's later description of it.

The current federal regulation still contains a 100% ZEV requirement for model year 2035 and later — Supported as of September 7, 2026 Ottawa has formally proposed repealing those ZEV sales requirements — Supported The 100%-by-2035 mandate has already been legally repealed — False as of September 7, 2026 The mandate remains an unchanged, settled long-term policy with no active repeal process — Misleading

Canada

Government of Canada / federal regulations

Is Canada still requiring 100% of new light-duty vehicles to be zero-emission by 2035? Canada fact check evidence

Fact check: Is Canada still requiring 100% of new light-duty vehicles to be zero-emission by 2035? What the evidence actually establishes in Canada.