Manitoba ”will not include a per vehicle consumer incentive”
To this date, Ontario and Québec are the only two provinces in Canada to offer incentives for electric vehicle. British Columbia stopped its own program on February 14, 2014. Based on this, I started a research on other provinces’ programs with Manitoba.
In April 2011, Manitoba launched an Electric Vehicle Road Map that will help the province adopt electric and hybrid vehicles, reduce dependence on fossil fuels and take advantage of the economic opportunities of electric transportation. “The road map outlines the opportunity to reduce Manitoba’s dependency on imported fossil fuel and helps showcase the significant economic opportunities available to the province as it pioneers the development, testing and use of all-electric and plug-in hybrid vehicles,” said the Honourable Dave Chomiak, Minister of Innovative, Energy and Mines.
Chomiak is now Minister of Resources and the Minister of Infrastructure and Transportation is the Honourable Steve Ashton.
Manitoba’s Electric Vehicle Road Map, included 1 – Plug-in partnerships with automakers, electric technology providers, Manitoba Hydro, Manitoba companies and academic institutions; 2 – Electric Vehicle Advisory Committee to provide recommendations to government on the best ways to prepare for, and speed adoption of, electric and hybrid-vehicles; and 3 – Electric Vehicle Learning and Demonstrating Centre to help demonstrate various electric and plug-in electric vehicles and associated recharging equipment that will soon be commercially available to Manitobans.
This EV Road Map included partnerships with Nissan Canada and Mitsubishi Motor Sales of Canada. Both manufacturers and the province signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) ”to identify opportunities to encourage the use of zero-emission vehicles. As part of the agreement, the partners will work together to further advance the potential that could come from the existing battery charging network within the province, and will discuss possible incentives for EV infrastructure providers and EV users. All parties also agree on the importance of public education activities to promote the use of EVs and that regulatory changes may also help achieve success. In addition, the MOU paves the way for the province and Manitoba Hydro to test the Nissan Leaf in Manitoba’s unique climatic conditions.” Mitsubishi Motor Sales of Canada participated with two of their i-Miev electric vehicle.
In February 2012, two years ago, the Electric Vehicle Advisory Committee published the final report. The report recommends 18 ”actions for accelerating the uptake of electric vehicles in Manitoba and capturing opportunities associated with this evolution in the automotive-propulsion landscape are grouped under five core statements of purpose, as presented below :
– Objective: To enhance Manitobans’ awareness and knowledge relating to electric vehicles ;
– Objective: To increase consumer demand for electric vehicles in Manitoba ;
– Objective: To ensure infrastructure in Manitoba meets EV-related requirements ;
– Objective: To capture economic opportunities in Manitoba relating to electric transportation ;
– Objective: To facilitate skills and knowledge upgrading in Manitoba relating to EV technologies.”
In June 2012, the government published a News Release about this report.
“Our government endorses the report of the committee and has already begun to implement some of the recommendations,” said Chomiak. “We created the Electric Vehicle Technology and Education Centre (EV-TEC) at Red River College, we have engaged electric vehicle manufacturers in plug-in partnerships that help ensure many of the latest makes and models of all-electric vehicles are available in Manitoba, and we are well into the development of an all-electric transit bus with industry partners. Moving forward, we will provide incentives for the installation of Level 2 charging infrastructure and work with stakeholders to address the recommendations made by the committee.”
The minister noted the province’s plan to facilitate the adoption of electric vehicles will not include a per vehicle consumer incentive, adding Manitoba’s low-cost electricity will offset some of the higher costs associated with purchasing these vehicles.
I will keep researching about Manitoba’s Road Map.
Anybody knows if indeed Manitoba provides incentives for the installation of Level 2 charging infrastructure ?
Here is a comment from Dave Connell, MEVA founder, on TTE’s Facebook page. Mr Connell gave me the thumbs up to publish it here :
” In a 95% pure hydro province, what a sin to not be a Canadian leader in EV use. There spending millions on the development of electric buses instead. Thank goodness for the Manitoba Electric Vehicle Association (MEVA).
We have the first Canadian owner of the ‘iMiev’, had the first Manitoba ‘Leaf’, had the first Volt and enjoy the company of many, and possibly all, MB personal conversion vehicles, a Tesla Super car and Tesla S. There are also over 1500 Power Assisted Bicycles in this province of only approxmat ly one million population.
Thank you for the continued efforts of all MEVA Members in spreading the ‘gospel of the EV’.
MEVA Founder”
Eric Carriere, and a message for Dave Connell: The Electric vehicle Society of Canada – EVSC – http://www.evsociety.ca was recently approached by Mercedes-Benz Canada to work with them to promote a new EV Ambassador Program. We think it could be something EVSC works with other EV Groups to help them incorporate in their fields of effort.
It’s unfortunate that the Manitoba’s efforts on transport electrification are so … timid.
Electric car manufacturers are active at not changing the actual energy paradigm.
ICE cars do have a moderate (about 10 years) useful life expectancy, and are thus a
good business case of replacing cars.
Electric cars do have a much more reliable engine, by design, and will thus have a higher
life expectancy. Replacing cars less often is a very good thing for the environment and
for sustainable development.
Replacing Fewer Cars is better for the Environment – But Less valuable for Auto Makers – without incentives to ‘Clear Their Heads’ of the Pollution that has infected them with Smog, designed in Obsolescence, And continuing to consume more than is needed in resources.
There is already a Story out there telling about how bad Auto Sharing is, since it reduced demand for new vehicles by a large number – http://www.cnbc.com/id/101386723 – which says: “Car sharing companies, which started gaining traction in cities about a decade ago, are increasingly becoming a threat to new vehicle sales according to a new study.” – so you can see the slant they are taking on any reduction!
Here are the electricity costs in Manitoba :
http://www.gov.mb.ca/jec/invest/busfacts/utilities/rates.html
As a recent EV owner I have actively lobbied to have some consistency brought to policy. When asked for budget policy comments I outlined my thoughts on haveing a federal policy for EV incentives rather than Provincial incentives. Not a peep back.
As for those who believe that the EVmovement should not benifit from artificial incentives not given to ICE vehicles I just want to point out that governments are falling over themselves trying to entice ICE makers into their back yards. Don’t tell me that isn’t a subsity for ICE vehicles.
I want Canadian automotive classes discussing EV cars and offering courses on EV conversions. I think we should be courting Tesla for their next plant.
The future is not the status quo, it is EV, fuel cells, propane etc.
Let’s not sell out our kids.
Hi Lester, thanks for your comments. I’m curious, you have lobbied to whom for a federal incentive ?
Your idea about automotive classes and EV is a great idea. How can we achieve this ?
See the EV Conversion Manual for High School Students – http://www.evsociety.ca/manual.php as one feather in your cap on this project – this manual has been used by Automtive Conversion companies in British Columbia, and at many different states, and Universities and Colleges as well, including in Pittsburgh, PA – CMU – Carnegie Mlon University – http://www.cmu.edu/index.shtml