B.C. car dealers push province to make policy changes

Car dealers are pushing the newly re-elected provincial government, the BC NDP, to make a number of policy changes to make their lives easier in the province.

B.C.’s New Car Dealers Association is calling for a more flexible approach to the Zero Emission Vehicle Act, and restoring previous rebate levels to the Clean B.C. Go Electric Passenger Vehicle Rebate Program.

The car dealers are worried if manufacturers don’t meet the government’s light-duty vehicle targets, penalties could be passed down to consumers.

“There’s a $20,000 penalty to manufacturers on vehicles sold outside of the mandated targets, that extra cost, of course, will get passed on to consumers. Either that or manufacturers will stop sending vehicles for sale to the province of B.C.,” Executive President and CEO of the New Car Dealers Association of B.C. Blair Qualey told 1130 NewsRadio.

The NDP has mandated that 90 per cent of light-duty vehicles be zero emissions by 2030, and 100 per cent by 2035.

Qualey says these mandates may be difficult to achieve for new dealers.

“We remain very concerned that those mandates are too far too fast, particularly now as we see the demand for electric vehicles softening from sort of the strong levels that we saw in the last couple of years.”

He says consumer demand has softened in recent months, justifying the need for greater government stimulus.

“If we’re going to try and get people into electric vehicles, we’re going to need some government support to help bridge the price differential between gas vehicles and electric equivalents, and that’s the best role for rebate is helping consumers make that step do.”