Toyota Canada Responds to Proposed Federal Zero Emission Regulation

In a speech to key Canadian auto industry stakeholders, Toyota Canada president and CEO Larry Hutchinson reiterated Toyota’s global commitment to reduce carbon emissions, but disagreed with the federal government’s currently proposed approach, which prioritizes zero emission vehicle sales instead of addressing the need for GHG emission reductions across the total vehicle fleet.

On behalf of Toyota, Hutchinson offered to work with government to implement strategies that will reduce emissions faster but more flexibly than the proposed federal ZEV mandate can accomplish, ensuring greater affordability and more options to meet the diverse needs of Canadians.

Hutchinson stressed that a robust and resilient response to the carbon challenge needs to consider every vehicle on Canadian roads – and incorporate all the technologies we have available to us – to start bringing down our overall emissions now. He noted that Toyota currently offers a full range of electrified vehicles in Canada including hybrids, plug-in hybrids, battery electric vehicles and fuel cell electric vehicles and is working on additional technologies in the company’s pursuit of carbon neutrality.

“Complex problems do not lend themselves to simple solutions … and climate change is a very complex problem. If a technology can help Canada reduce its overall carbon emissions, shouldn’t it be considered,” he said. “Toyota’s commitment to achieving net zero carbon is longstanding and well documented. We’re not only on record, but our actions … from our manufacturing operations to our newest facilities to the mix of products and technologies we offer … have demonstrated our commitment. “And we’re not waiting to take further action.

“This year, 40 per cent of the vehicles we sell in Canada will be electrified.  That means we’re prioritizing the carbon reduction of more than 80,000 electrified vehicles … immediately and throughout their entire lifespan.”

Hutchinson ended his speech by stressing the urgency of getting the regulation right. “Our mission is too important and too impactful to get wrong. The cost of making a mistake is too high.”