VANCOUVER – The president of GM Canada says the country’s policies around electric vehicles need to be more reflective of consumer demand, rather than what he calls a “forced outcome” from federal mandates.
Kristian Aquilina was in Vancouver for a conference on electric vehicles the day after the federal government announced it was delaying its electric vehicle sales mandate and launching a review.
He says Canada had advantages when it comes to transitioning electric vehicles but that it’s important investors and companies are allowed to be agile rather than being forced to move at a certain pace.
Prime Minister Mark Carney announced Friday that the federal government will not implement a mandate requiring that 20 per cent of all new vehicles sold in Canada by next year be electric while promising a 60-day review of the country’s electric vehicle program.
On Friday B.C. Energy Minister Adrian Dix said pausing the sales mandate largely reflects circumstances in Ontario and that B.C. has already met the target set by Ottawa.
Aquilina says Canada has a wide variety of policies at the provincial level when it comes to electric vehicles and he doesn’t see any part of the country that is free from the risks associated with these type of mandates.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 6, 2025
