Surrendering to the Auto Lobby: The Death of the EV Mandate

In early 2026, the Carney government abruptly scrapped the Electric Vehicle (EV) Availability Standard, which had mandated that 20% of new vehicle sales be electric by 2026. The administration claimed the rollback was a “pragmatic” adjustment to align with current automotive industry capacity and consumer demand. However, the move followed intense lobbying from the auto sector, which had warned that maintaining the mandate amidst U.S. protectionism and Chinese competition would leave the industry vulnerable.