Welcome to Tesla Motors Club
Discuss Tesla's Model S, Model 3, Model X, Model Y, Cybertruck, Roadster and More.
Register

Candidates debate: Question asked about a Federal EV incentive

This site may earn commission on affiliate links.
French language debate, paraphrasing : A reporter stated the transport sector was responsible for much GHG and that many would like a green car, but they're often too expensive [that part made me cringe]. He then asked if the candidates would offer an EV incentive.

Duceppe : Yes, 5k tax-rebate
Harper: No direct answer, said his government was investing 1B annually in green transport projects.
May: Yes. Also mentioned Harper had lent VW 500M this year.
Mulcair: No direct answer on personal incentives, but said EVs were the future and he wants Canada to become a leader in their manufacture.
Trudeau: No direct answer, talked about a green investment plan.

I apologize for bad memory or translation on my part. Credit to the Quebec ev site, AVEQ. Link with Radio Canada video

Question importante lors du «Débat des Chefs»: bonne idée de subventionner les voitures électriques au Fédéral? [VIDÉO] - AVbec - voiture electrique
 
French language debate, paraphrasing : A reporter stated the transport sector was responsible for much GHG and that many would like a green car, but they're often too expensive [that part made me cringe]. He then asked if the candidates would offer an EV incentive.

Duceppe : Yes, 5k tax-rebate
Harper: No direct answer, said his government was investing 1B annually in green transport projects.
May: Yes. Also mentioned Harper had lent VW 500M this year.
Mulcair: No direct answer on personal incentives, but said EVs were the future and he wants Canada to become a leader in their manufacture.
Trudeau: No direct answer, talked about a green investment plan.

I apologize for bad memory or translation on my part. Credit to the Quebec ev site, AVEQ. Link with Radio Canada video

Question importante lors du «Débat des Chefs»: bonne idée de subventionner les voitures électriques au Fédéral? [VIDÉO] - AVbec - voiture electrique
Well, neither May nor Duceppe will be prime minister, and none of the other 3 said yes. Considering how much other money they're all happy to say yes to, I'd have to say that means we won't see an EV incentive at the national level any time soon.
 
Thanks for that summary. It's unbelievable that we don't have a federal EV rebate in Canada.

- - - Updated - - -

Well, neither May nor Duceppe will be prime minister, and none of the other 3 said yes. Considering how much other money they're all happy to say yes to, I'd have to say that means we won't see an EV incentive at the national level any time soon.

In my view, politics in Canada don't allow for such a blanket statement, nor do they always follow poll results. I bet you would have said the NDP would never be in power in Alberta this time last year, or perhaps even ever in our lifetimes! NDP could possibly get a minority gov't and liberals in collation could go along with an EV credit.
 
Thanks for that summary. It's unbelievable that we don't have a federal EV rebate in Canada.

- - - Updated - - -



In my view, politics in Canada don't allow for such a blanket statement, nor do they always follow poll results. I bet you would have said the NDP would never be in power in Alberta this time last year, or perhaps even ever in our lifetimes! NDP couldn possibly get a minorityn gov't and liberals in collation could go along with an EV credit.
The statement is pretty reasonable. Duceppe leads a party that only has candidates in one province, and May leads a party that had never had enough seats in parliament to officially reach party status. As for the Alberta NDP, during the election campaign it wasn't hard to see that possibility.
 
Agreed on Duceppe and May but what I was trying to say is that if NDP and Liberals get in, even with a minority, they can form a coalition that outvotes Conservatives, and then we at least have a chance at an EV rebate. The best chance of a EV rebate is NDP but there's also a chance with Liberals. However, we all know with a Harper win, we'll never see an EV rebate.

By the way, this doesn't necessarily mean I'd vote NDP (that's doubtful). It's just my comments on how we could possibly get a federal EV rebate in Canada.

My friends in Alberta were all stunned by the NDP win. But if that's a bad example, then the last BC election was an outright shocker and none of the polls predicted it:

Christy Clark leads Liberals to second majority in B.C. | canada.com
 
Agreed on Duceppe and May but what I was trying to say is that if NDP and Liberals get in, even with a minority, they can form a coalition that outvotes Conservatives, and then we at least have a chance at an EV rebate. The best chance of a EV rebate is NDP but there's also a chance with Liberals. However, we all know with a Harper win, we'll never see an EV rebate.

By the way, this doesn't necessarily mean I'd vote NDP (that's doubtful). It's just my comments on how we could possibly get a federal EV rebate in Canada.

My friends in Alberta were all stunned by the NDP win. But if that's a bad example, then the last BC election was an outright shocker and none of the polls predicted it:

Christy Clark leads Liberals to second majority in B.C. | canada.com
I might need an ev rebate more with a PC loss!
 
But several provinces have very generous rebates like $8500 in ON and transportation is generally of provincial jurisdiction. It is hard to compare Canada to other countries, most of whom do not have a federal system.

I think it's easy to compare. We are huge into oil, one of the wealthiest and highest educated countries in the world, and yet we lag far behind countries such as Norway when it comes to EV rebates and incentives. This is appalling and shows a complete disregard for future generations. It's simply a cop out to say that other countries do not having a federal system. Our federal system is precisely what allows for the feds to take the lead. Yet they chose to invest in big oil and dirty oil sands by way of huge subsidies and incentives. Shame on us!
 
We are huge into oil, [..] and yet we lag far behind countries such as Norway when it comes to EV rebates and incentives.

"And yet"?

The connection is obvious, is it not?

This is the default state of affairs. It's exceptional that Norwegians seem to recognize the transient nature of their oil wealth, and are putting in place a way to take advantage of that wealth while being prepared to transition away from an oil-based economy.
 
"And yet"?

The connection is obvious, is it not?

This is the default state of affairs. It's exceptional that Norwegians seem to recognize the transient nature of their oil wealth, and are putting in place a way to take advantage of that wealth while being prepared to transition away from an oil-based economy.

The part you edited out is the most important. It is our wealth and education that caused me to use the "and yet". I find it hard to say to poor countries that you should not use fossil fuels to bring your people to standard of living we are at. That's hard to do in itself but even harder without at least leading by example. It is our education and wealth that compels us to promote EV's. The government should be building high capacity charging stations, giving EV rebates and leading by example. We give so much to big oil, the EV rebates would be a drop in the bucket (or gallon), by comparison.
 
How about charging carbon credits on gasoline? Governments don't like giving money away. They are much happier to take it out of our pockets. The money could go towards electrifying transportation.

That was in the Conservative party platform two or three elections ago, but they discarded it after they won. Now, three or four provinces have their own carbon trade programs, though the price may be too low to be meaningful in Alberta.
 
A federal carbon tax would be a good start, like we have in BC:

The shocking truth about B.C.’s carbon tax: It works - The Globe and Mail

Wish we could get one in the US. And we will, some day. Gas cars are cheaper only because they're not paying for the pollution they're creating, rather like dumping one's garbage out in the street. But I think there's a generational change coming. When the Model III comes out, along with Chevy's Bolt, which means used Leafs will be available for less that $20k, more and more people will have electrics. Eventually, a critical mass of people will be asking why ICEs get a pass on pollution. I give it five years.
 
Wish we could get one in the US. And we will, some day. Gas cars are cheaper only because they're not paying for the pollution they're creating, rather like dumping one's garbage out in the street.

Right on!


But I think there's a generational change coming. When the Model III comes out, along with Chevy's Bolt, which means used Leafs will be available for less that $20k, more and more people will have electrics. Eventually, a critical mass of people will be asking why ICEs get a pass on pollution. I give it five years.

Actually, used LEAFs can be had for less than $10k already. Most older ones are less than $15k.
 
I wonder how we can get government to talk about a federal EV incentive? There must be some sort of campaign we can start but I don't know the best way to do that. There's got to be a way for Tesla/Nissan combined with interested canadians to start something but I know nothing about how that would work. Surely someone on this forum has experience.
 
A federal carbon tax would be a good start, like we have in BC:

The shocking truth about B.C.’s carbon tax: It works - The Globe and Mail

Well duh. No one wants to talk about carbon taxes, but this is the sensible way to fix an unpriced externality. Cap-and-trade is a more complex way to do the same thing... just avoids the word "tax".

It does need to be revenue-neutral though. Stephan Dion's plan was NOT, despite what he claimed. It included social spending, which is tax-and-spend. As long as people don't meddle like that, a truly revenue-neutral carbon tax could be a big economic win as well as a big incentive for getting off carbon.