this post was submitted on 05 Feb 2026
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Up to $5,000 business or lease incentives coming for EVs

The government is unveiling its new national automotive strategy aimed at protecting Canada’s auto sector and jobs in the face the U.S. President Donald Trump's desire to move vehicle production to the U.S. Ottawa is also trying to jump-start the country's battery-powered vehicle industry.

Carney expects his new emissions system will lead to 75 per cent of new cars sold in Canada being electric by 2035 — an ambitious goal, but still less than the previous mandate that Carney is ditching.

. . .

Carney announced the Liberal government is also launching a new $2.3-billion program to offer consumers and businesses purchase or lease incentives of up to $5,000 for EVs and up to $2,500 for plug-in hybrids.

Plug-in vehicles must be under $50,000 to qualify and be made by countries Canada has free trade agreements with, which would exclude any vehicles made in China. The price cap will not apply to Canadian-made vehicles.

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[–] Scotty@scribe.disroot.org 1 points 33 minutes ago

Such incentives should be available only for 'Made in Canada' products. If parts are manufactured abroad, it should be in countries with appropriate working conditions are in place. The EU is in the process of establishing a similar law afaik. But Canada should avoid even buying, let alone incentivizing purchases of cars built by coerced labor.

[–] kbal@fedia.io 13 points 13 hours ago (1 children)

Goodbye EV sales mandate. Hello purchase rebates.

Of all the politicians, only Mr. Carney has the expertise, foresight, and economic sophistication to do exactly the wrong thing with such precision.

[–] HumanOnEarth@lemmy.ca 4 points 12 hours ago (1 children)
[–] kbal@fedia.io 13 points 12 hours ago (1 children)

I'm not a fan of having the government subsidizing new car purchases. It's the last thing we need. The sale of cars that run on fossil fuels should be banned ten years ago or as soon as possible. If the government wants to spend more money it should go towards alternatives to cars, not to bribing the relatively wealthy people who shop for brand new cars to put even more of them on the roads.

[–] phobos@lemmy.ca 6 points 10 hours ago (1 children)

I don't disagree with your statement however, historically taking the carrot approach (rebates) to promote consumer desire towards alternative products works better both on public perception and on actual public shift than restrictions do.

[–] No_Maines_Land@lemmy.ca 3 points 10 hours ago (2 children)

$5000 for a single electric vehicle is what, 10% or less of purchase price?

$500 for a single electric bike would be 10-50% the purchase price of an electric bike (with $5000 being a high end cargobike).

That's 10x the number of Canadians that can use the funds.

That lowers the floor for Canadians to access the rebate.

That means taking vehicles off the road and reducing road and health liabilities for Canadian cities and provinces.

It is much easier for a bicycle manufacturer to pop up than an entire electric car chain. (Some of the struggling ones might hope the border to become Canadian made).

Yes, this differs replacing gas cars in more rural areas. But it can take the majority of car trips and eliminate then; rather than just electrify them.

It can also position Canada to be a leader in electric bikes, rather than a subsidiary of foreign car companies.

[–] HumanOnEarth@lemmy.ca 4 points 9 hours ago* (last edited 9 hours ago) (1 children)

I like the way you think, but let's not kid ourselves that the pool of people who "would drive a car as their main transportation" is anything close to the pool of people who would do so with an electric bike.

Don't get me wrong, I love the idea of a generous rebate on bikes. I just think if the goal is emissions reductions, an EV rebate is bound to be more effective, even factoring in the differences.

[–] No_Maines_Land@lemmy.ca 1 points 2 hours ago

I think the pool can be quite large. The main issue is that it is almost always more convenient to drive than bike right now.

That isn't because cars are inherently more convenient, its because we've been making them more convenient for a decade. Some examples of this.

  1. Parking: look at the massive land use that we dedicate to storing vehicles, and then give away for free. Obviously it's not free to whoever builds and maintains them, so that cost is just passed on to everyone to increase the convince of cars.

  2. Traffic lights: cars and trains are the only vehicles that require lighted signals. Everyone else at an intersection gets slowed down so that cars can drive faster in between them. In my city of Kingston, pretty much every major road is 60kph+, but my average driving travel speed is always <35kph. Lights even inconvenience drivers, they're just trained to accept it as normal, and are rewarded with faster travel between lights.

  3. Lanes: cars get a travel lane everywhere. Pedestrians usually get one. Bikes get fucked.

You can see this in action where cities that increase bicycle infrastructure and make it more convenient, get an increase in mode share.

[–] phobos@lemmy.ca 0 points 9 hours ago

Sadly, electric bikes a country's economy does not create.....

[–] danielquinn@lemmy.ca 15 points 14 hours ago (1 children)

Lemme guess: still no assistance for purchasing e-bikes or cargo bikes?

[–] avidamoeba@lemmy.ca 11 points 13 hours ago (1 children)

We are universally hated by pedestrians and drivers alike.

[–] psycotica0@lemmy.ca 10 points 8 hours ago (1 children)

Hey! Don't forget about other cyclists, we hate you too! 😜

[–] avidamoeba@lemmy.ca 5 points 7 hours ago (1 children)
[–] k0e3@lemmy.ca 4 points 7 hours ago

This is a sad, but hilarious, thread. Good luck out there ebiker.

[–] Lemmyoutofhere@lemmy.ca 6 points 14 hours ago (1 children)
[–] tleb@lemmy.ca 5 points 14 hours ago (1 children)

Plug-in vehicles must be under $50,000 to qualify and be made by countries Canada has free trade agreements with, which would exclude any vehicles made in China. The price cap will not apply to Canadian-made vehicles.

Would seem to exclude Teslas (both because they're >50k and made in China lol), but it's not clear to me if "plug-in vehicles" means EVs + PHEVs or just PHEVs

[–] UnderpantsWeevil@lemmy.world 4 points 14 hours ago* (last edited 14 hours ago) (2 children)

they’re >50k and made in China lol

The Model 3 is $38k and made in Freemont, CA.

This rule exists to exclude BYD, XPeng, and the constellation of other Chinese EV companies, whose enormous productive capacity are swamping the East Asian auto industry with cheap EV compacts and small trucks.

Incidentally, BYD had historically operated an electric bus factory in Newmarket, Ontario. But operations ceased thanks to cut backs in the Toronto Transit Commission. They may try to repurpose the plant to begin manufacturing consumer-ready vehicles, but its still up in the air with respect to US/Canada trade relations and Canada's own shaking economic situation.

[–] FreeBooteR69@lemmy.ca 7 points 12 hours ago (1 children)

Those are in Yankee bucks not Loonies. 60k+ CAD

[–] UnderpantsWeevil@lemmy.world 0 points 11 hours ago* (last edited 11 hours ago) (1 children)

How is the Loonie still losing to the dollar? The Euro is running laps around USD. Carney, get your shit together.

Even then, a 37% markup on $37k is only CA$50.7k

[–] Lemmyoutofhere@lemmy.ca 1 points 7 hours ago (1 children)

We don’t want too strong of a dollar as it will increase the price of our exports.

[–] UnderpantsWeevil@lemmy.world 1 points 7 hours ago

Petroleum? Oil's at a five year low. The dollar could stand to be a bit firmer.

[–] i_stole_ur_taco@lemmy.ca 4 points 13 hours ago (2 children)

Where are you seeing a model 3 for $38,000? They’re all over 65k on the website.

[–] noride@lemmy.zip 2 points 13 hours ago

Starting price for the model 3 shows $36,990 for me. Maybe USD vs CAD? Idk..

[–] UnderpantsWeevil@lemmy.world 2 points 14 hours ago

Petro-State gonna Petro