Article Summary
A new Clean Energy Canada survey shows that 66 percent of Canadians support maintaining the federal electric vehicle availability standard, though many want modifications to make it more affordable and flexible. The strongest support comes from younger Canadians, with 58 percent of those aged 18-29 wanting the policy to maintain or increase its ambition.
- 66 percent of Canadians support keeping the paused federal EV mandate, while only 27 percent want no federal requirement for electric vehicles
- Affordability-focused version of the mandate gains 46 percent support when structured around $40,000 price points and zero-interest financing options
- Younger Canadians lead support with 58 percent of ages 18-29 and 55 percent of ages 30-44 wanting the policy to maintain or increase ambition
- 52 percent of Canadians believe they pay more for EVs than people in other countries, driving demand for lower-priced options
- 41 percent of potential EV buyers would delay purchases until the federal rebate program is reintroduced and details are announced
Toronto, Ontario -- A new survey from Clean Energy Canada shows two-thirds of Canadians (66 percent) support keeping the paused federal electric vehicle availability standard, though many want to see changes made to it.
Just 27 percent say there should be no federal requirement for more electric vehicles, while 16 percent want the policy to be more ambitious, 24 percent want it to stay more or less the same, and 26 percent want it to be less rigid or easier to achieve.
Younger Canadians are notably stronger supporters of the mandate, with 58 percent of those aged 18 to 29 wanting the policy to maintain or increase its ambition and 55 percent of those aged 30 to 44 feeling the same way. With Ottawa weighing whether to allow more Chinese and European electric cars into the market, the survey also asked about perceptions of Canadian EV prices. A majority, 52 percent, believe Canadians are paying more than people in other countries, while 21 percent say Canadians pay about the same and only 6 percent believe cars are cheaper here.
As part of its 60-day review of the mandate, the government has floated the idea of rewarding automakers who sell EVs under $40,000 or offer zero-interest financing. When presented with this affordability centred version of the mandate, 46 percent of respondents supported the approach, 18 percent wanted the policy to stay as is, and just 24 percent opposed it outright, down from 27 percent who initially opposed the mandate. Support for this version is highest in British Columbia, where 50 percent backed the affordability option, 16 percent preferred the policy unchanged, and 20 percent wanted it repealed.
The survey also captured reactions to Ottawa’s pause of its $5,000 federal EV rebate at the start of 2025. Prime Minister Mark Carney has said he intends to reintroduce a rebate program, but the uncertainty has left potential buyers waiting. Among respondents open to buying an EV, 41 percent said they would delay a purchase until an update on incentives, 14 percent would buy without one, 36 percent said they would not buy an EV regardless, and 9 percent were unsure.
Trevor Melanson, director of communications at Clean Energy Canada, said: “A very strong majority of Canadians ultimately support keeping in place a version of Canada’s Electric Vehicle Availability Standard, and so the right question for Mark Carney is how the policy should adapt, not whether it should exist."
Carney earlier this month delayed the 2026 EV sales quota, which would have required 20 percent of all passenger vehicles sold to be zero-emission, citing pressure on automakers from U.S. tariffs and economic strain in the auto sector. The reversal marked a departure from one of Ottawa’s flagship climate policies, raising concern from environmental groups who say Canada risks falling behind on its emissions targets.
"As Canadians rightly realize they’re paying more for EVs than people in other countries, an approach centred on lowering upfront costs would be well received by many Canadians, especially younger ones keen on making the switch," Melanson added. "Transportation is the second biggest expense for households after housing, and lower-priced EVs would unlock considerable savings for drivers both on day one and for years to come thanks to considerable gas savings.”
The shift also follows a broader climate-policy recalibration under Carney, who in March repealed the consumer carbon tax that had been a centerpiece of Trudeau-era policy. His government argues the tax had become politically divisive during a period of high inflation and cost-of-living strain. Industrial carbon pricing remains in place, with Ottawa promising tighter compliance rules, but without the household-level levy Canada’s path to meeting its climate targets will rely more heavily on regulations and subsidies such as the EV mandate and rebate program.
The survey was conducted with 2,230 Canadians from September 12 to 17, 2025. Respondents were recruited through partner panels on the Lucid exchange platform, which blends double opt-in survey samples to reduce bias. Results were weighted by age, gender, and region to reflect census data. A comparable probability sample of the same size would have a margin of error of plus or minus 2.08 percentage points, 19 times out of 20. Totals may not add to 100 due to rounding.
