Dear Mr. Kingston,
I was deeply dismayed today when I read (https://www.cbc.ca/news/science/zev-mandate-climate-1.7576456) your quote: “the targets that have been established cannot be met” given current market forces.”
With all due respect, the market conditions would exist if Canadian Vehicle Manufacturers made it happen. After leading with innovation and courage for the past 100 years, it seems like our car industry has forgotten itself, or perhaps it’s just too beholden to forces on the other side of the border. The fact of the matter is, every domestic and international car manufacturer should be salivating at the opportunity presented by Tesla’s gigantic decline. There is a huge window that has opened for domestic manufacturers to jump through, and some have, but instead I look at my local car lots and if there are any cars at all, they are generally 20th century reminiscent gas guzzlers with big ‘employee discounts’.
Six years ago, July 2019, I bought a Hyundai Kona Electric. I have owned Toyotas and Mazdas before, some built in Canada. We scoured every brand, but few had ZEV including the traditional North American brands. Today, in 2025, it has barely changed though there do seem to be more PHEV offerings. My father in law just bought a Mitsubishi PHEV.
Meanwhile in the rest of the world, Norway is almost 100% EVs sold. China seems to be producing and selling more EVs than anyone else combined. European manufacturers are ramping up in a big way in lockstep with government regs there. In 2022 we took our Hyundai Kona on an epic cross-Canada road trip. The car was fantastic. I’m actually a train guy myself, but I also have a soft spot for exploring our beautiful country by road. The time of doing that with gasoline must end, and quickly. We visited Jasper. Most of what we visited was consumed by fire last year. That’s because of gasoline and, by extension, the car industry. There is no need for your industry to be associated with the destruction of our communities any longer.
So please, do not try to tell Canadians that “market forces” have prevented Canadian manufacturers from achieving the ZEV mandate. If the problem originates south of the border, than it is time look across both oceans for the solutions, otherwise, you’re part of the problem.
Sincerely
Chris Alemany