December 13, 2024

OTTAWA – The NDP-backed Liberal government is once again misleading Canadians, this time by championing rhetoric and narratives that allow giant electric vehicles (EVs) corporations with fossil fuel-intensive production processes to be labeled as "green."

In their latest attempt to distract from real solutions, the government announced incentives for EV production while turning a blind eye to the environmental costs of mining critical minerals like lithium, cobalt, and nickel. These minerals are often extracted using destructive, high-emission methods that can harm ecosystems and exploit vulnerable communities abroad. As well as the vague information on battery recycling which can lead to further environmental degradation even the recycling process is done correctly.

Furthermore, the Liberal’s triumphing over EVs also deceives the public from their real emissions, like in Alberta, where fossil fuels are still main sources for electricity generation. "This government’s abject greenwashing efforts should come as no surprise. After all, we’ve known for a while that they take their cues from Shell, Suncor and other Big Oil actors that make billions on the back of our tax money, our health and our security, " said Jonathan Pedneault, Green Party Deputy Leader. "No one believes that cigarettes are part of the cure for lung cancer. Why persist in making us believe that diesel and gas will stem the destruction climate change is wrecking upon so many in this country?"

The Green Party of Canada is calling for a transparent and ethical transition to a sustainable future. This means holding EV manufacturers accountable for their supply chains, enforcing rigorous environmental standards, prioritizing domestic recycling and reuse of critical minerals over environmentally and socially harmful mining operations, and prohibit deceptive EV ads which purposefully ignore its emissions and environmental impacts and claiming to “zero emission”.

To tackle the issue with current EV greenwashing, the Green Party aims to: 1) expand the focus of Bill C-59 not only on fossil fuels and traditionally viewed emission heavy industries, and also include the corporations that align with the current energy transition rhetoric to further detect potential greenwashing behaviours. 2) Enforce Bill C-59 by expanding the term “internationally recognized methodologies”, for example, Barthes’ myth framework and lifecycle emission of certain product. 3) Proposing the Green Vehicle Accountability Act, which is a comprehensive policy aimed at ensuring that Canada’s EV industry meets the highest environmental and ethical standards. This proposed legislation includes: mandatory reporting on the lifecycle emission and cradle-to-grave environmental impact of the EV, tax incentives for manufacturers who meet strict sustainability criteria basing on the lifecycle emissions and environmental impacts, funding for research and development of greener battery technologies, and further developing and supporting the local recycling facilities to handle battery waste.