While the Department of Transport yesterday praised subsidies as successful, figures show electric car grants have cost Canadian taxpayers the equivalent of more than $600 for every tonne of greenhouse gas emissions saved, according to figures obtained by Blacklock’s Reporter..The work we’re doing with the zero emission vehicle program is really having an impact on Canada and emissions, said Ryan Pilgrim, chief financial officer of the transport department..Testifying at the Senate national finance committee, Pilgrim called subsidies essential..“Our target is still 10% of vehicles by 2025,” he said..Electric vehicles accounted for 3.5% of auto sales last year, according to a Statistics Canada estimate..“Thirty per cent will be electric by 2030 and a 100% by 2040,” said Pilgrim. “These are really aggressive targets but I think it’s essential to ensure the well-being of Canadians going forward.”.Pilgrim noted 80,681 zero emission vehicles have been sold since cabinet introduced two subsidy programs in 2019. Each vehicle lowers tailpipe emissions by 3.46 tonnes per year for total reductions of 837,469 tonnes over three years..Cabinet over the same period budgeted a total $519,680,121 in subsidies for a Zero Emission Vehicles Program that pays rebates to buyers, and a Zero Emission Vehicle Infrastructure Program to build electric charging stations. Emission reductions were the equivalent of $620 per tonne..Unit costs should lower as new electric vehicles spend longer on the road, said Pilgrim, who noted the expected life span of the electric vehicles is about 12 years..“This initiative, which we’re really happy with and happy to continue, is paying dividends,” he said. “It’s really having an impact on reducing greenhouse gases in the country.”.Electric car buyers are eligible for federal rebates of $5,000 on new vehicles worth up to $55,000 — the Department of Transport in a 2020 Inquiry Of Ministry tabled in the Commons said the largest number of rebates went to buyers of California-made Tesla Model 3s..“A $55,000 vehicle would be a luxury vehicle for most Canadians,” Conservative MP Brad Redekopp (Saskatoon West) earlier told the Commons environment committee. “Essentially what we’re doing is subsidizing a vehicle that a wealthy person is going to buy.”.The Canadian Taxpayers Federation at a November 25 hearing questioned whether rebates were subsidizing drivers who intended to buy an electric in any case..“I think it’s fair to ask whether Canadian taxpayers should be subsidizing the purchase of luxury vehicles for people who are prepared to pay full price for them,” testified Aaron Wudrick, then-federal director of the Federation..“I would suggest the answer is no.”.Mike D’Amour is the British Columbia Bureau Chief for the Western Standard..,.mdamour@westernstandardonline.com
