What is it with our governments and public subsidies for electric vehicles? Federal Climate Change Minister Catherine McKenna told The Canadian Press this month the Trudeau government is working on “creating incentives” for Canadians to buy electric vehicles. This as part of its overall climate change strategy, in addition to imposing a national carbon price on the provinces.
In other words, the Justin Trudeau Liberals in Ottawa will follow the Kathleen Wynne Liberals in Ontario in throwing more public money at one of the most expensive and least efficient ways of reducing industrial greenhouse gas emissions linked to climate change.
In Ontario, the Wynne government is giving public subsidies of up to $14,000 for electric vehicles, plus $1,000 for installing a home charging station. Plus four years of free electricity for overnight charging.
It’s also promised to work with Ottawa to eliminate the 13% HST on electric vehicles by 2018, spend $80 million on workplace and apartment charging stations and $20 million for 250 charging stations across Ontario.
All in, these subsidies mean, according to an analysis by the Fraser Institute, that the public will pay about $250 million to lower emissions by 0.03% in 2020 compared to 2014.
For the rest of this column, click here: http://www.torontosun.com/2016/10/22/trudeau-liberals-set-to-join-wynne-liberals-in-helping-rich-people-buy-electric-cars