EVs not always practical on the Prairies
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The Liberal government may have delayed its plans to ban the sale of new gas-powered vehicles, but it has not abandoned them. Canadians question this measure, and I believe they deserve answers. That is why Conservative MPs proposed a study of the electric vehicle mandate at the House of Commons environment committee.
Even though I support innovation and the growing interest in EVs, I have serious concerns about a one-size-fits-all mandate that doesn’t reflect the realities of rural communities like the constituency of Portage—Lisgar.
Let me be clear – this isn’t a debate about whether EVs have a place in Canada’s future. I believe they absolutely do. The issue is whether it’s fair or practical to force every Canadian to buy one.
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While electric vehicles make sense in many situations for many people, their use should not be mandated for all Canadians – especially those for whom the infrastructure is lacking.
Many parts of Manitoba still don’t even have consistent cell phone service, never mind access to EV charging stations. The idea that rural residents can seamlessly transition to electric vehicles simply doesn’t match the day-to-day reality for many families and farmers in southern Manitoba.
While EV infrastructure is expanding in major cities, it remains spotty or entirely absent across much of rural Canada. That’s not just inconvenient, it can be a real safety concern in our harsh winters.
Even with government rebates, electric vehicles remain thousands of dollars more expensive than gas-powered alternatives. For many families and seniors, that gap is too wide to bridge, especially when you factor in the added cost of installing a home charger. In many homes, that might also require upgrading the electrical panel, which can run into the thousands.
At a time when Canadians are already feeling the pressure of rising mortgage payments, grocery bills, and energy costs, the idea of forcing families to shoulder even more financial burden to comply with a mandate is deeply out of touch.
We must also turn our attention to our power grid. Manitoba Hydro is already forecasting the need for over a billion dollars in upgrades to meet future demand. That alone should raise red flags. If we’re already stretching our electricity capacity, how are we going to add tens of thousands of EVs to the system?
Then there’s the issue of performance. In extreme cold, EV batteries lose significant range. Heating systems and defrosters drain the battery even faster, and charging slows to a crawl. That’s not speculation, it’s been the experience of EV drivers right here in our own winters. When reliable transportation can mean the difference between getting to work or not, or even getting home safely, those aren’t small concerns.
As our committee study continues, I’ll keep standing up for policies that reflect rural realities and respect Canadians’ freedom to pick a car that works for them. I firmly believe that the last thing we need is Ottawa, once again, putting its thumb on the scale.