Latest news with #RachelDoran
National Observer
07-07-2025
- Automotive
- National Observer
Environment group warns against repealing federal electric vehicle mandate
An environmental think tank is warning the federal government against repealing its electric vehicle mandate, instead suggesting that politicians should help to put more EVs on the road. In a statement published Friday, Clean Energy Canada gave three recommendations to the federal government to help deliver affordable EVs to Canadians for less than $40,000. The group, based out of Simon Fraser University in British Columbia, said Ottawa should retool its EV mandate by revisiting its near-term targets to help the auto sector 'weather this temporary storm' of slumping EV sales. 'Any additional flexibility added to the regulation should be designed to achieve other EV-related goals, such as delivering more affordable EVs and building out Canada's charging network,' says the statement by executive director Rachel Doran and director of public affairs Joanna Kyriazis. The plea comes on the heels of auto manufacturing leaders meeting with Prime Minister Mark Carney last week, in which the CEOs repeated their calls for the mandate to be repealed. Starting next year, the mandate would require 20 per cent of all new light-duty vehicles sold in Canada to be zero-emission vehicles. Those also include plug-in hybrid electric vehicles. The target rises annually to 100 per cent by 2035. Recent data from Statistics Canada suggests EVs accounted for 7.53 per cent of all new vehicles sold in April. Following the meeting, the head of an organization representing Ford Canada, GM Canada and Stellantis said he was "cautiously optimistic" the government would take action on the mandate. Clean Energy Canada also called on Ottawa to re-fund the EV incentive program, but to be clearer as to when the program will be phased out. The government launched the Incentives for Zero-Emission Vehicles program in 2019, which gives car buyers up to $5,000 toward the cost of an electric vehicle. The program was abruptly suspended back in January when its funding ran out. It has left many dealerships on the hook for the rebate if they hadn't already sent in their claim before the program ended. The federal government put nearly $3 billion into the program during its lifespan. "The rebate should start at $5,000 and decline by $1,000 each year, providing consumers and automakers with a well-communicated phaseout that avoids periods of artificially lowered EV sales as buyers await the return of rebates or at least clarity," Clean Energy Canada says. A similar policy is in place in Quebec. Federal ministers have said in recent months the government was working toward bringing back consumer incentives on EVs. Those promises faced criticism from automakers themselves because, without implementing a rebate, EV sales are slumping further, as buyers wait for the rebates to come back. Clean Energy Canada also called on the federal government to reconsider its approach to cheaper EVs from China, which are subject to a 100 per cent tariff which took effect in October. Ottawa is scheduled to review the measure later this year. "Allowing in a limited quota of these affordable vehicles while also recognizing EU-approved vehicles … would open Canada's vehicle market to fill important market gaps, drive innovation and ultimately make our auto sector more competitive," the group says.
Global News
06-07-2025
- Automotive
- Global News
Environment group warns against repealing federal electric vehicle mandate
An environmental think tank is warning the federal government against repealing its electric vehicle mandate, instead suggesting that politicians should be helping to put more EVs on the road. In a statement published Friday, Clean Energy Canada gave three recommendations to the federal government to help deliver affordable EVs to Canadians for less than $40,000. The group, based out of Simon Fraser University in British Columbia, said Ottawa should retool its EV mandate by revisiting its near-term targets to help the auto sector 'weather this temporary storm' of slumping EV sales. 'Any additional flexibility added in the regulation should be designed to achieve other EV-related goals, such as delivering more affordable EVs and building out Canada's charging network,' says the statement by executive director Rachel Doran and director of public affairs Joanna Kyriazis. The plea comes on the heels of auto manufacturing leaders meeting with Prime Minister Mark Carney last week, in which the CEOs repeated their calls for the mandate to be repealed. Story continues below advertisement Starting next year, the mandate would require 20 per cent of all new light-duty vehicles sold in Canada to be zero-emission vehicles. Those also include plug-in hybrid electric vehicles. The target rises annually to 100 per cent by 2035. Get breaking National news For news impacting Canada and around the world, sign up for breaking news alerts delivered directly to you when they happen. Sign up for breaking National newsletter Sign Up By providing your email address, you have read and agree to Global News' Terms and Conditions and Privacy Policy Recent data from Statistics Canada suggests EVs accounted for 7.53 per cent of all new vehicles sold in April. Following the meeting, the head of an organization representing Ford Canada, GM Canada and Stellantis said he was 'cautiously optimistic' the government would take action on the mandate. Clean Energy Canada also called on Ottawa to re-fund the EV incentive program, but to be clearer as to when the program will be phased out. The government launched the Incentives for Zero-Emission Vehicles program in 2019, which gave car buyers up to $5,000 toward the cost of an electric vehicle. The program was abruptly suspended back in January when its funding ran out. It has left many dealerships on the hook for the rebate if they hadn't already sent in their claim before the program ended. The federal government put nearly $3 billion into the program during its lifespan. 'The rebate should start at $5,000 and decline by $1,000 each year, providing consumers and automakers with a well-communicated phaseout that avoids periods of artificially lowered EV sales as buyers await the return of rebates or at least clarity,' Clean Energy Canada says. Story continues below advertisement A similar policy is in place in Quebec. Federal ministers have said in recent months that the government was working toward bringing back consumer incentives on EVs. Those promises faced criticism from automakers themselves because, without implementing a rebate, EV sales are slumping further, as buyers wait for the rebates to come back. Clean Energy Canada also called on the federal government to reconsider its approach to cheaper EVs from China, which are subject to a 100 per cent tariff which took effect in October. Ottawa is scheduled to review the measure later this year. 'Allowing in a limited quota of these affordable vehicles while also recognizing EU-approved vehicles … would open Canada's vehicle market to fill important market gaps, drive innovation and ultimately make our auto sector more competitive,' the group says.
Hamilton Spectator
06-07-2025
- Automotive
- Hamilton Spectator
Environment group warns against repealing federal electric vehicle mandate
OTTAWA - An environmental think tank is warning the federal government against repealing its electric vehicle mandate, instead suggesting that politicians should be helping to put more EVs on the road. In a statement published Friday, Clean Energy Canada gave three recommendations to the federal government to help deliver affordable EVs to Canadians for less than $40,000. The group, based out of Simon Fraser University in British Columbia, said Ottawa should retool its EV mandate by revisiting its near-term targets to help the auto sector 'weather this temporary storm' of slumping EV sales. 'Any additional flexibility added in the regulation should be designed to achieve other EV-related goals, such as delivering more affordable EVs and building out Canada's charging network,' says the statement by executive director Rachel Doran and director of public affairs Joanna Kyriazis. The plea comes on the heels of auto manufacturing leaders meeting with Prime Minister Mark Carney last week, in which the CEOs repeated their calls for the mandate to be repealed. Starting next year, the mandate would require 20 per cent of all new light-duty vehicles sold in Canada to be zero-emission vehicles. Those also include plug-in hybrid electric vehicles. The target rises annually to 100 per cent by 2035. Recent data from Statistics Canada suggests EVs accounted for 7.53 per cent of all new vehicles sold in April. Following the meeting, the head of an organization representing Ford Canada, GM Canada and Stellantis said he was 'cautiously optimistic' the government would take action on the mandate. Clean Energy Canada also called on Ottawa to re-fund the EV incentive program, but to be clearer as to when the program will be phased out. The government launched the Incentives for Zero-Emission Vehicles program in 2019, which gave car buyers up to $5,000 toward the cost of an electric vehicle. The program was abruptly suspended back in January when its funding ran out. It has left many dealerships on the hook for the rebate if they hadn't already sent in their claim before the program ended. The federal government put nearly $3 billion into the program during its lifespan. 'The rebate should start at $5,000 and decline by $1,000 each year, providing consumers and automakers with a well-communicated phaseout that avoids periods of artificially lowered EV sales as buyers await the return of rebates or at least clarity,' Clean Energy Canada says. A similar policy is in place in Quebec. Federal ministers have said in recent months that the government was working toward bringing back consumer incentives on EVs. Those promises faced criticism from automakers themselves because, without implementing a rebate, EV sales are slumping further, as buyers wait for the rebates to come back. Clean Energy Canada also called on the federal government to reconsider its approach to cheaper EVs from China, which are subject to a 100 per cent tariff which took effect in October. Ottawa is scheduled to review the measure later this year. 'Allowing in a limited quota of these affordable vehicles while also recognizing EU-approved vehicles … would open Canada's vehicle market to fill important market gaps, drive innovation and ultimately make our auto sector more competitive,' the group says. This report by The Canadian Press was first published July 6, 2025.
Toronto Star
09-06-2025
- Automotive
- Toronto Star
EVs aren't being forced on Canadians — if anything, they're being withheld from them
By Rachel Doran and Joanna Kyriazias Contributors Rachel Doran is the executive director and Joanna Kyriazis is the director of public affairs at Clean Energy Canada, a think tank at Simon Fraser University's Morris J. Wosk Centre for Dialogue. You may have heard this one before: governments are 'forcing' people to buy electric vehicles. It's how U.S. President Donald Trump described the efforts of his predecessor and some in Canada have similarly accused the feds and certain provinces of pushing their green agenda on uninterested drivers. For the record, drivers are not uninterested. A new survey from Abacus Data commissioned by Clean Energy Canada finds that 45 per cent of Canadians are inclined to get an EV as their next vehicle and that share is considerably higher in urban areas (55 per cent in the GTHA and a whopping 69 per cent in Metro Vancouver) and among younger Canadians (57 per cent of those under 30).
National Observer
16-05-2025
- Business
- National Observer
Our biggest (non-U.S.) trade partners are building their clean economies, and Canada can deliver
Canada woke up the day after US President Donald Trump's inauguration in unfamiliar territory. Our closest neighbour and biggest trade partner for the past century suddenly decided Canada was not, in fact, a friend — and furthermore, our trade agreements were not really binding. Whether and which tariffs come or go is impossible to predict at this point, but one thing has become clear: trust, that other important T word, has been shattered irreparably. With a new Canadian government, freshly mandated to help build Canada's economy and future, Canada must now look beyond its borders, within its borders, and within itself. First and foremost, that means aligning our economy with the wider, friendlier world. Fortunately, Canada has trade agreements with 60 per cent of the global economy, making us well-positioned to lessen our reliance on US markets. And, as a new Clean Energy Canada analysis finds, among our 10 largest non-US trade partners, all of them have net-zero commitments and carbon pricing systems, and roughly half apply carbon border adjustments on imports and have domestic EV requirements reshaping their car markets. Taken together, these measures send a clear, unmistakable signal about where their economies are headed. Carbon border adjustments, for example, offer preferential access to low-carbon products from importing nations like Canada, while a carbon price and requirements for more EVs mean a market is weaning itself off fossil fuels. As more countries adopt these measures, demand for oil and gas will see a decline, while interest in clean energy imports and low-carbon products will increase. The global market for the top six mass-manufactured clean energy technologies (solar PV, wind turbines, electric cars, batteries, electrolysers, and heat pumps) is set to rise from US$700 billion in 2023 to more than US$2 trillion by 2035 — close to the value of the world's crude oil market in recent years. Canada's opportunities are plentiful, significant and realizable. A number of thinktanks and business groups have analyzed and identified opportunities in Canada's clean economy, including, but not limited to, clean electricity generation and transmission, critical minerals, EVs and batteries, low-carbon heavy industry, and value-added agricultural and forest products. So, how does Canada map this vision into reality? Promoting Canada boils down to expanding and diversifying export opportunities, while also incentivizing global companies to build here, writes Rachel Doran The simple answer is to streamline Canada, connect Canada, buy Canada, and promote Canada. In the case of streamlining Canada, the slightly longer explanation involves accelerating regulatory and permitting processes for clean-growth projects, recognizing green-collar worker credentials across provinces, and better aligning building, construction and transportation codes. Connecting Canada means investing in and accelerating the build-out of critical trade, energy, and transportation infrastructure, such as road networks to remote mining sites and ports to growing markets. Now, more than ever, it is time to enhance connections between provincial electricity systems. Strategically linking power grids between provinces will enhance energy security, flexibility and ratepayer affordability. Buy Canada has quickly turned into a trendy phrase, but for policymakers, the definition should include growing the market for Canadian products, supporting Canadian ownership, and helping emerging Canadian companies scale up. Governments can do this through consumer incentives for locally made clean technologies, government procurement that favours low-emissions Canadian products, and interprovincial trade promotion. Finally, shedding our northern humility, 'elbows and chin up' should be our motto moving forward. Promoting Canada boils down to expanding and diversifying export opportunities, while also incentivizing global companies to build here. Business parks and shovel-ready industrial lands, permitted and proximate to production networks and abundant clean electricity, are easy beacons for all manner of businesses. As is our clean electricity grid, we have already seen companies choose Canada in part for its low-cost, low-emissions power. Indeed, Canada should be marketing a 'Clean Canada' export brand to both Canadians and the world. This all may sound like a bold vision, but it is one with its feet firmly on the ground. Seizing the clean economic opportunity is not about starting over, but about leveraging pre-existing industries and advantages in a way that sets us up for a different future — and a destiny we write for ourselves.
