Ontario handed out $39M in EV rebates, new docs allege

Ontario has spent more than $14 million in recent years to subsidize electric vehicles that retail for more than $70,000, according to the Canadian Taxpayers Federation (CTF).

The not-for-profit, through a freedom of information request, unearthed documents that show more than $39 million was spent by the province between 2009 and 2015 on electric vehicle rebates.

Nearly a third of that—$14.24 million—was handed to owners of vehicles with sticker prices that start at more than $70,000, according to the CTF.

What's more, the documents show $867,679 went to subsidies for cars worth more than $100,000, including $27,690 for the million-dollar Porsche 918 Spyder.

"In no universe does it make sense to have regular hard working Canadian families subsidizing the luxury vehicles of millionaires," CTF Ontario director Christine Van Geyn said in a statement.

"Premier (Kathleen) Wynne needs to scrap this program. If you can afford a $100,000 car, you don't need a subsidy from people who earn less than that in a year."

Wynne, in response to questions about the CTF report, agreed that the wealthiest Ontarians don't need government subsidies.

"We have refocused the program to make sure that it's targeted at the most efficient technologies and affordable vehicles," she said, according to CP24. "That's the impetus for this program. We want to encourage the technologies."

The province recently amended its Electric Vehicle Incentive Program (EVIP), excluding vehicles retailing for more than $150,000 from government subsidies.

But, according to the CTF, vehicles priced between $75,000 and $150,000 are still eligible for rebates worth as much as $3,000.

"Our roads in Ontario are falling apart, and the Ontario government has brought in a new 4.3 cent per litre carbon tax on gas," the federation's Van Geyn continued.

"But instead of fixing our highways or easing pain at the pumps, the government is spending tens of millions of dollars helping the richest Ontarians buy fancy cars. None of this makes any sense, and this program needs to end before even more money is wasted."

The documents released by the CTF come just weeks after a report called on the federal government to offer EV rebates to boost sales across the country.

The 10 highest rebate totals, according to the CTF documents, are:

1. Tesla Model S: $12.84 million
2. Chevrolet Volt: $10.38 million
3. Nissan Leaf: $5.43 million
4. smart fortwo electric: $4.07 million
5. BMW i3: $1.16 million
6. Ford C-Max Energi: $865,392
7. Mitsubishi i-MiEV: $683,173
8. Ford Fusion Energi $660,176
9. Toyota Prius Plug-in Hybrid $575,000
10. Porsche Cayenne S e-Hybrid $436,590