One-fifth of all passenger cars, SUVs and trucks sold in Canada in 2026 will need to run on electricity under new regulations being proposed Wednesday by Environment Minister Steven Guilbeault.

An initial mandated sales target of 20-percent would gradually ramp up each year until it hits 60-percent in 2030 and 100-percent in 2035.

The move is a step toward implementing the zero-emission vehicle mandate the Trudeau Liberals promised in a national emissions reduction plan last April.

Here in Toronto, Mayor John Tory has announced eight more charging stations have been installed at a Green P Parking lot on Wellesley Avenue, but he explained the program really expands next year.

“Starting in 2023, Toronto Parking Authority will take over the responsibility for installing and operating all City of Toronto on-street public EV charging stations,” Tory announced, “Their ambitious plan includes provisions for more than 100 EV charging stations at eleven Green P parking locations…growing to over 650 charging stations off-street and on-street by the end of 2024.”

The location of the charging stations is being determined by information from the Green P Parking app to ensure they’re located where people can easily access them.

The mayor says it’s all part of the city’s effort to achieve net zero emission by 2040.

Electric vehicle sales, including fully-electric and plug-in hybrid models, made up 7.2 per cent of new car registrations across Canada in the first six months of this year.