Could the end of Ontario’s popular Electric and Hydrogen Vehicle Incentive Program be near now that Premier-designate Doug Ford has led his Progressive Conservatives to a majority government?
If we closely read the tea leaves and review some recent history, it appears the program that provides Ontarians rebates worth up to $14,000 on certain green vehicles could be in jeopardy.
Ford has promised to find “efficiencies” in an effort to save taxpayers $6 billion without cutting jobs. He started looking — and saving — this week, days before he was even sworn in.
First, Ford ordered a hiring freeze for public servants, directed ministries to cancel all subscription-based services and banned them from ordering food or beverages for staff meetings and events.
The PCs followed up a day later by cancelling the GreenON Program, which provided incentives like free smart thermostats, new insulation and replacement windows to people who were making their homes more energy efficient.
Ending GreenON could foreshadow the end of its automotive cousin, the Electric and Hydrogen Vehicle Incentive Program, which was inefficiently run, mired in late payments and hated by some PC MPPs, who described the EHVP as nothing more than “Liberal subsidies.” And Ford make no bones about it; he hates subsidies and corporate welfare.
Attempts to reach the PCs ask about the program's future were unsuccessful.
But, as Automotive News Canada was first to report, dealers were waiting up to six months for the province to reimburse them their rebates. Some dealers were owed more than $500,000. All told, dealers were owed millions of dollars until the province streamlined the payment process and issued reimbursements electronically.
Last fall, PC Kitchener-Conestoga MPP Michael Harris raised the issue at Queen’s Park on Nov. 22, calling the program “a Liberal green scheme” and “costly vanity project.”
Sounds like just the type of thing Ford is looking to cut.