CANADIANS EMBRACING ELECTRIC VEHICLES
A new report from Electric Mobility Canada predicts the nation’s transportation sector is about to undergo a major transformation.
According to the report, electric mobility’s slice of transportation-sector GDP is set to climb from a modest 17 percent in 2026 to a commanding 47 percent by 2035. This means more electric vehicles (EVs) on Canadian roads—and by extension, in collision bays.
The EMC report estimates EVs could account for anywhere from 21 percent of the light-duty fleet in Nunavut to a whopping 75 percent in Quebec by 2035. During the same period, employment in the electric side of the mobility sector is expected to grow from 16 percent to 45 percent.
Canada’s electric vehicle adoption rates remain significantly behind that of the European Union. According to a recent report from Clean Technika, Europe saw a 28 percent in EV sales in April. Excluding Tesla, which saw a 50 percent year-over-year decline, the market grew 33 percent.
Battery electric vehicle sales reached 184,000 units, up 26 percent year-over-year. Plugin hybrid electric vehicle sales increased 30 percent year-over-year to 98,000 units, and are up 12 percent year-to-date at 368,000 units.
Plugin vehicles accounted for 26 percent of the European auto market in April, with 17 percent from battery electrics and 9 percent from plugin hybrids. Battery electrics made up 67 percent of all plugin sales this year, while plugin hybrids comprised 33 percent, identical to the 2024 breakdown. Diesel vehicle sales declined 25 percent and now hold 9 percent of the market. Petrol vehicles dropped 22 percent year-over-year and represent 28 percent of the market.
Hybrid electric vehicles grew 17 percent year-over-year in April, with a market share of 35 percent. Altogether, 61 percent of all vehicles sold in Europe that month had some form of electrification.
At the current rate of expansion, 100 percent of all vehicles sold in the EU should have some level of electrification by 2032.
DAMAGED EVS TRAPPED ON GULF ISLANDS
Non-operational electric vehicles are now barred from boarding boats operated by British Columbia Ferry Services Inc. making it very difficult for Gulf Island residents to secure repairs.
B.C. Ferries’ new rules prohibit EVs with significant damage—such as exposed batteries, fluid leaks and wiring issues—from boarding ferries. EVs with minor damage can still be transported, but require approval from the ship’s captain.
According to Southern Gulf Islands Tourism, the latest statistics from the Insurance Corporation of British Columbia state that 6.5 percent of residents on Salt Spring Island own an EV and 4.1 percent of residents across the rest of the Southern Gulf Islands own an EV.
Village Bay Repairs, an auto repair and maintenance shop on Mayne Island, doesn’t do EV repairs, and owner Mike Maxwell says that “Owners are certainly going to be in trouble though. How would they get them off the island, I wonder?”
The updates to B.C. Ferries’ internal policies come in response to Transport Canada guidelines on the fire risk posed by the lithium-ion batteries in EVs. Transport Canada’s policy, which requires damaged or defective batteries to be removed for transportation, has been in place since 2014. In a statement to Black Press Media, B.C. Ferries said “We recognize this presents challenges for customers and commercial operators, particularly as EV adoption increases. However, the safety risks associated with transporting potentially damaged high-voltage batteries, especially when the vehicle cannot be assessed under its own power, require a cautious approach.”
Langley-Abbotsford MLA Harman Bhangu has raised “serious concern” over Transport Canada’s new rule banning non-operational electric vehicles from BC Ferries. In a June 30 letter to federal and provincial transport ministers, Bhangu said the policy is “trapping” island residents, forcing them to pay for costly repairs even when no local services are available. He called it a “failure in planning” and claimed tow truck operators are now refusing EV jobs. Peninsula Towing, which handles 10–15 EVs daily, says the ban threatens their work. BC Ferries says it’s seeking clarification on safe transport options.
