Electric vehicle advocates hope new federal plan will make vehicles more widely available

Electric vehicles could be getting a boost from Ottawa’s newest plan to tackle emissions.

The Canadian government announced a new Emissions Reduction Plan, which aims to cut carbon emissions by 2030.

The plan includes funding for projects to reduce emissions, provides tax credits for companies that develop and adopt clean technology, and makes it easier for Canadians to switch to electric vehicles.

It will provide additional funding of $400 million for zero-emission vehicle charging stations, provide $1.7 billion to extend the Incentives for Zero-Emission Vehicles program, and also put in place a sales mandate to ensure at least 20 per cent of new light-duty vehicle sales will be zero-emission vehicles by 2026, at least 60 per cent by 2030 and 100 per cent by 2035.

Matthew Pointer, the president of the Saskatchewan Electric Vehicle Association, admits right now it’s tough to get ahold of an electric vehicle in the province.

“There hasn’t been a lot of buy-in from local dealerships historically and we’re hoping this kind of holds their feet to the fire to actually get the cars that people want,” Pointer said.

“More and more people are calling our association all the time saying, ‘I’d love to buy an electric vehicle but I just can’t find one in any car lot in the province.’ We’re hoping this mandate will change that.”

Pointer said 25 per cent of the emissions in Canada come from passenger and transport vehicles.

Pointer said in 2012, SGI provided an initiative that gave a discount on insurance for people who drove low-emission vehicles. In 2021, the Saskatchewan government announced owners of electric passenger vehicles would begin paying a new annual road-use fee of $150.

“We’re actually regressing in Saskatchewan as far as a positive policy that is meant to get people behind the wheel of an electric car,” Pointer said. “It sets a negative narrative for these vehicles and people think if they are being taxed on them, then it’s not a good thing.”

While in the short term electric vehicles are more expensive than traditional gas ones, Pointer says you end up saving money in the long run.

“Looking at the local gas pumps, when you’re looking at $1.50 to $1.70 per litre, that really affects people’s pocketbooks,” Pointer said. “People are starting to realize that 30 to 40 dollars a month worth of power is far better than 200 to 400 dollars worth of gasoline in your annual household expense book.”

Pointer also said electric vehicles don’t have issues in Saskatchewan winters.

“Electric vehicles start every single time when it’s that cold. There are significantly (fewer) moving parts — there are only about 20 or 30 moving parts in an electrical vehicle versus an internal combustion engine that can be 200 to 300 moving parts. There are really no fluids that need to be warmed up. Essentially you hit a start button, it comes to life and you basically drive away,” he said.