In an effort to build a green economy, the Government of Canada announced that they will be requiring 100% of car and passenger truck sales to be zero-emission by 2035. The plan has been put in place to cut pollution from all sectors of the economy – including from the transportation sector, which accounts for one-quarter of Canada’s greenhouse gas emissions.
In response to Canada’s plan, Mubasher Faruki, BCIT Associate Dean, Automotive, shared his expertise on the implications of this transition on CTV Morning Live.
“It makes a lot of sense to start introducing new technologies to support climate change and bring our emissions down to a sustainable level” says Mubasher.
WATCH: Mubasher Faruki discussed the transition to electric vehicles on CTV Morning Live.
BCIT as a leader in EV and sustainability
While the plan is still in its early adoption phase, BCIT is already leading the charge for the adoption of EVs. BC launched the first pilot program for EV Maintenance Training at BCIT in 2019. The success of the program has expanded it into a 36-hour flexible learning course designed to provide Red Seal Automotive Technicians with the skills to diagnose and repair zero-emission vehicles.
As the need for electric vehicle service technicians grows, BCIT partnered with Tesla START in a first-of-its-kind program to provide students with hands-on and industry-focused skills to become Red Seal Certified Automotive Service Technicians specializing in EVs.
In addition to receiving accreditation from BCIT and Tesla, students who successfully complete the program are qualified to take the Red Seal Automotive Service Technician Certification and are invited to jumpstart their career as a Service Technician with Tesla.
On the research front, the BCIT Centre for Applied Research and Innovation (CARI) are among 28 organizations to have received funding to help raise awareness about EV in underrepresented communities. BCIT’s project, Fueling Change – Education for a Zero Emissions Future, aims to identify barriers to EV adoption among underrepresented communities.
Interested in learning more about the electric vehicle (EV) industry?
For those curious about the electric vehicle industry, BCIT Free Online Learning offers several courses to help build the basics of electric vehicle knowledge:
- Purchasing and Driving an Electric Vehicle
- Electric Vehicle Charging Infrastructure
- Electric Vehicle Industries
- Future Zero Emission Vehicle Development
Lastly, if you’re a Red Seal Automotive Technician and want to upgrade your skills in EV maintenance, be sure to check out the Electric Vehicle (EV) Maintenance Training program.