There are few Canadian markets extra built-in with the U.S. than automobiles. And never simply the automobiles we construct in Ontario, however the ones we drive throughout this nation.
We depend on U.S. security requirements that successfully decide which automobiles find yourself on dealership tons, align our tailpipe emission requirements and when the U.S. underneath Biden erected a 100 per cent tariff wall on Chinese language electrical automobiles (EVs), did Canada look to Europe’s a lot decrease tariff or the U.Ok.’s lack of 1? No, we put up a 100 per cent tariff wall too.
After which just a few issues occurred.
Trump received the election and promised to slash authorities investments in EV charging and manufacturing, cancel shopper EV tax credit and weaken emission requirements (all guarantees he’s since fulfilled). U.S. automakers have eased their EV ambitions accordingly.
Concurrently, Canadian EV gross sales have declined in 2025 after funding ran out for EV rebates federally and in two key provinces, B.C. in Quebec, leaving patrons ready on the sidelines for incentives to be reinstated (Quebec has since finished so).
Seeing alternative, sure members of Canada’s auto foyer are suggesting that Canada ought to observe the U.S.’s U-turn on EVs, particularly by repealing Canada’s EV availability normal, a coverage requiring automakers to provide extra EVs to Canadians.
All of a sudden, the electrical automotive has develop into a litmus take a look at for whether or not we’re nonetheless America’s buddy — or able to be a extra international Canada.
Frankly, the selection couldn’t be clearer: align our ambitions with the broader world — the place one-in-four automobiles offered globally this yr is projected to be electrical — or observe Trump’s retreat, additional fortifying an uncompetitive, fossil-fuel-powered North America.
Certainly, Trump is imposing inexplicable self-harm on America’s personal auto manufacturing business, making use of tariffs to the metal, aluminum and auto components it depends on. Mixed together with his efforts to roll again gas effectivity requirements, Trump is successfully forcing People to each produce and drive much less environment friendly automobiles — and pay extra to take action.
Like Canada, the EU revisited its EV necessities in mild of tariffs and America’s commerce battle however, in sharp distinction with Trump, determined to maintain them. Because of this, drivers have entry to extra inexpensive EVs, and the EU is inside putting distance of its 2030 local weather goal. It’s an identical story within the U.Ok., the place carmakers at the moment are on monitor to assembly EV targets, regardless of claiming they couldn’t probably accomplish that.
Canada has a lot of instruments to make sure related success, reminiscent of reintroducing rebates (one thing the U.Ok. simply did), probably retooling the EV availability normal, investing in public charging with extra focus placed on serving to condo dwellers, and, sure, reducing the obstacles confronted by Chinese language and European carmakers.
Certainly, many Canadians are questioning why we must always preserve in place a 100 per cent tariff on inexpensive Chinese language EVs, with a current survey by Abacus Knowledge for Clear Vitality Canada displaying that four-in-five Canadians would like a a lot decrease tariff or no tariff in any respect.
Chinese language EVs aren’t barbarians on the gate, solely a drawbridge away from decimating the competitors. That merely hasn’t occurred in different superior nations, the place Chinese language EVs sometimes make up lower than 10 per cent of the EV market. BYDs are constructed and priced for the international locations they promote in and, to stage the taking part in area for home producers, are sometimes nonetheless tariffed — simply not at 100 per cent. There’s early proof that the mere presence of Chinese language EVs improves native market circumstances and shopper adoption.
Finally, we should ask what’s finest for Canada.
How about inexpensive EVs that may save drivers hundreds on gasoline yearly? Or higher air high quality, much less pressure on our well being care system and 11,000 prevented untimely deaths, in keeping with one current examine?
And what about Canada’s canola, seafood, and pork industries, which have develop into collateral injury as a goal of Chinese language retaliation over our U.S.-aligned tariff? Or higher but, Canada’s huge essential minerals alternative, underpinned by the transition to scrub power and particularly EVs?
Put one other method, we’re not People and we needn’t drive like them — or with them.
This publish was co-authored by Trevor Melanson and first appeared within the Toronto Star.
