Automaker warned EV mandate could do ‘irreversible damage’ to industry
Canada’s major automakers met with Mark Carney to ask the federal government to repeal a mandate requiring all new vehicles to be emissions-free by 2035. The meeting comes as the prime minister tries to secure a trade deal with the U.S. by July 21.
I’m Jenna, the senior business writer for CBC News. Automakers have been urging Carney to end the EV sales mandate for a while.
The presidents of Ford, General Motors and Stellantis wrote a letter to the prime minister last month, asking the government to repeal the sales mandate and instead shift its focus on incentivizing consumer demand for EVs and improving the country’s charging infrastructure.
The industry has largely criticized the sales mandate for having unrealistic targets. But Brian Kingston, president and CEO of the Canadian Vehicle Manufacturers’ Association, has argued that those obligations are putting manufacturers, dealers and workers at risk.
Kingston wrote last summer that the mandate should be repealed before “irreversible damage” is done to the industry — from the manufacturers to the dealerships and workers.
“The mandate is already forcing automakers to limit internal combustion engine and hybrid vehicle sales in Canada and purchase credits from automakers that do not produce vehicles here or employ Canadians in good manufacturing jobs,” he said.