Support for EV Mandates Drops in BC: Survey

An EV charging station in a file photo. The Canadian Press/Justin Tang

A majority of B.C. residents do not support electric vehicle (EV) mandates, according to a recent poll, despite the province being among the top for EV sales in 2024.

The Ipsos poll commissioned by the Energy Futures Institute found 56 percent were not in favour of government EV mandates, while 34 percent said they supported the mandates. Results also show that support for the mandate has dropped four percentage points since August 2024, when 38 percent said they supported the mandate and 53 percent said they opposed it.

A federal EV mandate introduced in 2023 to reduce greenhouse gas emissions states that 20 percent of new light-duty vehicles sold in 2026 must be zero-emission. That number increases each year until it reaches 100 percent in 2035.

The provincial EV mandate in B.C. says that 26 percent of all light-duty and Class 2B vehicles (with a gross vehicle weight under 4,536 kilograms or 10,000 pounds) sales must be EVs by 2026, with that number increasing to 90 percent in 2030 and 100 percent in 2035.

As part of the Ipsos survey, participants were told about the mandated new sales deadlines, and that the federal and provincial government had once offered a rebate for those purchasing EVs, but the rebates are no longer offered. Participants were then asked if they would support or oppose the mandates.

Thirty-six percent said they strongly opposed the mandates, compared to 10 percent who strongly supported the mandates, according to Ipsos.

Opposition to the EV mandate was much higher in the southern interior and northern part of the province, with 68 percent saying they opposed it. In Metro Vancouver, 49 percent said they opposed the EV mandate.

Opposition to the mandate was also higher among those 55 years and older (66 percent) compared to 43 percent for those aged 18 to 34 years.

Participants were also asked what barriers might prevent them from buying an EV. Cost was the top obstacle for EV purchases (64 percent), followed by limited range on a charge (46 percent), and a lack of access to charging stations (43 percent).

Respondents also said the cost of maintenance and repair (37 percent), time it takes to charge (37 percent), and not being able to charge it at home (32 percent) would make them think twice about an EV purchase. Another 28 percent said they had doubts about the vehicles’ quality and reliability.

The poll was conducted between July 31 and Aug. 6, with 801 participants. Ipsos said the results were accurate to within plus or minus 4 percentage points, 19 times out of 20.

A recent nationwide poll by Leger suggested that 71 percent of Canadians agreed that the EV target was “unrealistic,” “will cost too much,” and “should be rolled back.”

Twenty-nine percent said they agreed with the mandate, calling it “necessary” and said it should be kept.

When broken down into political supporters, 59 percent of Liberal voters said the EV mandate should be rolled back, and 89 percent of Conservative voters said the same.

The Canada Energy Regulator recently noted that EV sales had dropped in the first quarter of 2025, accounting for just 9 percent of sales. It is a drop of 23 percent from the same period last year.