Zero-Emission Vehicles (ZEVs) are vehicles that can operate without producing tailpipe emissions, and include battery-electric vehicles (BEVs), plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEVs), and hydrogen fuel cell vehicles (FCVs).
ZEVs represent a growing portion of the market, accounting for 13.8% of new vehicles sold in Canada in 2024 – a figure that rises to over 30% in Quebec.Footnote 1 As this industry continues to grow, so too will demand for workers with skills applicable to the maintenance and repair of ZEVs, as well as the development, manufacturing, installation, maintenance, and repair of chargers.
Current Actions
- Funding for upskilling, training, and other workforce projects exists through the Sustainable Jobs Training Fund (Electric Vehicle Maintenance and Charging Infrastructure priority) and the Sectoral Workforce Solutions Program.
- Collaboration with private partners such as Stellantis, Volkswagen, and Honda to bring ZEV production and supply chains to Canada, which could create thousands of jobs.Footnote 2
- Working to increase the availability of chargers and hydrogen refueling stations through the newly announced national charging infrastructure strategy, which will focus on better attracting private sector investment, as well as the Zero Emission Vehicle Infrastructure Program and the Charging and Hydrogen Refueling Infrastructure Initiative.
- The Government of Canada invests in workforce development for zero-emission vehicles through the EVolveSkills: Empowering Tomorrow’s Automotive Workforce Today project, under the Sustainable Jobs Training Fund. This project will train automotive service technicians and apprentices in electric vehicle repair and maintenance to support Canada’s transition to zero-emission vehicles.
Economic overview
- Growing labour demand: Electricity Human Resources Canada found a 249% increase in job postings related to EVs between 2018 and 2022.Footnote 3
- Global trends: Over seven million EVs were sold globally in the first half of 2024, up 25% year-over-year. Over 114,000 of these were sold in Canada – a year-over-year increase of 45%.Footnote 4
- Private investment: Volkswagen is investing $7 billion to build its first North American-based battery factory in OntarioFootnote 5, and Honda will also be investing $15 billion toward the development of a comprehensive EV supply chain in the province.Footnote 6
ZEV career examples
Occupations Footnote 7
- Electrical and electronics engineers
- Database analysts and administrators
- Software engineers and designers
- Electrical mechanics
Fields Footnote 8
- EV maintenance and repair
- EV charger installation and repair
Anticipated employment opportunities
-
Up to
184,000
EV industry jobs by 2030
Footnote 9 -
Up to
26 times
workforce increase compared to 2020
Footnote 10 -
Up to
250,000
jobs supported by the broader EV battery supply chain by 2030
Footnote 11 -
Up to
723,000
EV jobs by 2050
Footnote 12