Mark Carney could make it easier for us to buy EVs if he wanted. Right now he’s making it harder - Clean Energy Canada

The article discusses the recent pause on Canada’s Electric Vehicle (EV) Availability Standard until 2027, included in the government’s tariff relief package, and the concerns it raises among climate advocates. The EV Availability Standard is a key consumer-focused policy that requires automakers to offer more electric vehicles over time, thereby encouraging the production of more affordable EV models and increasing market availability. Research indicates that such mandates reduce EV prices by about 20% and lead to a greater variety of EV models compared to regions without such standards. The article argues that abandoning this policy would be detrimental, especially since Canada cannot rely on aligning with U.S. tailpipe emission standards due to political uncertainty and potential rollbacks under the Trump administration. The article also addresses alternative proposals like investing in public EV charging infrastructure or including conventional hybrids in the policy, but finds these insufficient substitutes. Most EV charging occurs conveniently at home, and Canada’s public charging network is already expanding rapidly, partly driven by the certainty the EV mandate provides to investors