VICTORY: Trudeau’s costly EV mandate is finally over
On January 10, the federal government quietly removed its $5,000 rebates for electric cars—a gimmick that kept the EV mandate afloat, until now.
Ottawa’s electric car mandate is kaput after cabinet pulled the plug on rebates it could no longer afford. “If you cannot secure adequate funding for it, get rid of it,” said concerned automakers.
On January 10, the federal government quietly removed its $5,000 rebates—a gimmick which supporters say was crucial to its mandate. Environment Minister Steven Guilbeault hoped to bar the sale of all new conventional oil and gas vehicles by 2035.
Automakers have pushed back for years, noting the mandate cannot be fulfilled amid ongoing affordability and infrastructure concerns.
Auto industry representatives slam the Liberals' "Zero Emission Vehicle mandate."
— Rebel News (@RebelNewsOnline) January 14, 2025
"Instead of incorporating industry and expert input, the federal government relied on ill-conceived analysis from environmental groups posing as automotive experts." pic.twitter.com/yemsaFgK2D
According to the Department of Transportation, Canada sold or leased only 546,000 EVS since 2019, when the program launched, reported the Epoch Times.
Electrics constitute only 11.7% of all vehicle sales in 2023—up from 3.1% in 2019. The EV mandate pegged sales at 20% for 2026 to no avail.
EV sales plummeted in recent years—making optimistic projections “a complete fantasy,” reported Blacklock’s.
Groups including the Canadian Vehicle Manufacturers’ Association, Global Automakers of Canada and the Canadian Automobile Dealers Association collectively made the request to end the mandate.
Premier Smith slams Environment Minister Steven Guilbeault: "He doesn't listen. He doesn't honour the Constitution. He ignores court judgments, and he continues barrelling ahead even though his actions are illegal." https://t.co/PHR7jF0lJM pic.twitter.com/8l22QtyDDe
— Rebel News (@RebelNewsOnline) February 5, 2024
“There is obvious hypocrisy in imposing ambitious zero emission targets and affiliated penalties on the industry and consumers when the government is showing a clear lack of motivation and support to meet this goal,” Tim Reuss, CEO of the Canadian Automobile Dealers Association, told reporters on Wednesday.
David Adams, CEO of Global Automakers of Canada, said the program was dead in the water, citing the lack of financial guarantees after March 31. The Department of Transportation ended the subsidies 10 weeks early.
“The web portal through which dealers file eligibility claims on behalf of consumers has been shut down,” said Adams. “At this point there is no way for dealers … to actually ensure those claims are being paid out.”
The program’s abrupt cancellation “caused chaos for consumers,” added Brian Kingston, CEO of the Canadian Vehicle Manufacturers’ Association.
"I'm a Liberal and a proud socialist": Environment Minister Steven Guilbeault.
— Rebel News (@RebelNewsOnline) November 7, 2023
Do you think he's proud of his criminal record too?https://t.co/dh39RL9gvx pic.twitter.com/4U6axC5Nal
A report last August 29 from the Parliamentary Budget Officer (PBO) confirmed most Canadians could not afford electric cars without taxpayer handouts.
“We estimate the relative ownership cost of battery electric vehicles would need to decrease by 31 percent to meet the zero emission vehicle sales target,” said the report Electric Vehicle Availability Standard: Potential Impacts On Ownership Costs And Charger Supply.
In addition, a 2023 Regulatory Impact Analysis Statement angered drivers, as they face more than $17 billion in added costs from the mandate.
That counters claims from Minister Guilbeault, who repeatedly lauded the cost-savings of his mandate. “This will help Canadians with the cost of living,” he told reporters in 2023. “Once you drive a car off the lot the savings on fueling and maintenance costs are enormous.”

Alex Dhaliwal
Calgary Based Journalist
Alex Dhaliwal is a Political Science graduate from the University of Calgary. He has actively written on relevant Canadian issues with several prominent interviews under his belt.

COMMENTS
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Bruce Atchison commented 2025-01-16 19:43:12 -0500What great news! Propping up a dead horse is useless and it’s the market which knows best. Gasoline and Diesel work far better and the vehicles are lighter.