A local member of the Ontario Legislature has urged Premier Doug Ford to reinstate a green-vehicle incentive cancelled when he took office.
Windsor West MPP Lisa Gretzky sent a letter to Ford this week, asking his government to reinstate the incentive for electric vehicle purchases and the Electric Vehicle Charging Incentive Program.
"As you are likely aware, many other jurisdictions across the world offer tax credits for Electric Vehicle purchases by consumers," wrote Gretzky, an NDP member. "This is a proven way to expand the market and increase the accessibility of electric vehicles to more consumers by lowering price points. By reinstating the Electric Vehicle Purchase Incentives, Electric Vehicle Charging Incentive Program, as well as building back and adding to the charging stations your government previously removed, you would demonstrate your government’s commitment to the automotive industry, while it transitions the majority of production to zero-emission vehicles as our country competes to secure once-in-a-generation investment against other countries."
With two shifts being cancelled at the Windsor Assembly Plant, where an electric version of the Chrysler Pacifica minivan is produced, Gretzky criticized Ford for what she believed was a lack of action by the government to save plant jobs.
"Your government needs to be doing absolutely everything in your power to save these jobs, promote sales of electric vehicles, like the Windsor-built Chrysler Pacifica, and offer the necessary incentives to help drive up sales," wrote Gretzky.
Ford revealed this week a plan to bring electric vehicle production to Ontario and produce at least 400,000 hybrid and electric vehicles provincewide by 2030. When asked about rebates, the premier said he would let the market dictate how things go, and electric vehicle sales were not high enough to make an incentive feasible.
The incentive was dropped when Ford began his term in 2018. The premier said at the time that the incentive would only encourage affluent people to buy the vehicles, a notion Gretzky denies.
"It is not millionaires purchasing the Chrysler Pacifica, as you have suggested. It is hardworking middle-class families in my community and across this province that are looking for an award-winning, reliable, built-in Ontario vehicle," wrote Gretzky. "It’s the people that work in restaurants, grocery stores, healthcare, schools, auto parts manufacturing plants and those at Windsor Assembly who build this award-winning vehicle. It’s the people who work hard, give back to the community and live under constant uncertainty about their job security."