The latest audit by the Commissioner of the Environment and Sustainable Development, Jerry V. DeMarco, indicates significant lag in the decarbonization efforts of Canada’s largest federal fleets.
The report highlights that National Defence, Parks Canada, Fisheries and Oceans Canada, and the Canada Border Services Agency, which collectively hold more than half of the federal fleet, have made minimal progress towards the government’s 2030 target of 80% zero-emission vehicles.
As of 2022, the audit reveals that only 1% to 3% of the vehicles across these four key organizations are zero-emission. This sluggish pace suggests a bleak outlook for meeting the 2030 objective, with projections estimating that at the current rate, zero-emission vehicles might only constitute 13% of the federal fleet by the deadline. That’s not good news for Canada, which has its ministers constantly touting how EVs are the future in the nation.
The report criticizes the organizations for the absence of strategic planning in their approach to fleet decarbonization. Despite having vehicle acquisition plans, none included a clear strategy to achieve the 80% zero-emission target within the next seven years. Furthermore, the audit found inconsistencies and gaps in the organizations’ progress reports, which are mandated by the Federal Sustainable Development Strategy.
“With a target date of 2030 and given that the government typically replaces its vehicles on a 7‑year cycle, these organizations must act quickly to develop and implement realistic plans for acquiring zero‑emission vehicles so that the government fleet can help reduce greenhouse gas emissions,” said DeMarco.
