As the iron door of reality slams onto the toe of even the most fervent advocates of climate change action, the Carney government has walked back its electric vehicle (EV) mandate, which would have banned the sale of new conventionally powered vehicles in Canada by 2035.
However, the government will not abandon its push to switch Canadians to EVs. It’s bringing back rebates of $5,000 for EVs under $50,000 (for vehicles made in Canada or in countries where we have free-trade agreements) and plans to offer billions in subsidies to automakers. The continued push for EVs highlights the significant discrepancy between how individual Canadians want to spend their money and how the federal government thinks they ought to spend it.
