Most Canadians would favor a extra open car market with extra inexpensive electrical choices, in response to a brand new survey carried out by Abacus Information on behalf of Clear Power Canada.
In relation to the closely publicized 100% tariff on Chinese language EVs, 53% of Canadians say they would favor a decrease tariff that balances business safety and shopper affordability, much like Europe, whereas 29% help eradicating the tariff altogether so as to decrease prices and keep away from commerce retaliation from China. Solely 19% of Canadians say they would favor preserving in place a 100% tariff on Chinese language EVs.
There’s little distinction of opinion on this query between voters of every political get together, with help for the present tariff starting from 15% amongst NDP voters to 23% amongst Conservative, suggesting a powerful cross-partisan consensus.
Respondents had been additionally offered with one other approach Canada may open up its automotive market: permitting on the market any car that has handed security and environmental requirements in Europe. This could enhance the provision of automotive manufacturers and fashions in Canada, together with some smaller, extra inexpensive EVs. The thought is overwhelmingly well-liked, with 70% help and solely 10% opposition.
A measure already carried out in Canada was additionally put to the survey: tailpipe emission requirements, which require carmakers to enhance the gasoline effectivity of the automobiles they promote yearly. President Trump is within the technique of weakening these requirements, whereas California is preventing to take care of them in sure states.
A strong majority (58%) of Canadians consider Canada ought to uphold its present tailpipe emission requirements, in keeping with these set by Biden and supported by California, whereas solely 18% help weakening our requirements to align with the U.S. below Trump.
Lastly, 45% of Canadians say they’re sure, very seemingly, or inclined to buy an EV as their subsequent automotive, representing a 13-point lower in comparison with when this query was requested in 2022. Curiosity, nonetheless, varies considerably based mostly on age and placement. Majorities in Quebec (55%) and B.C. (53%) are nonetheless inclined to go electrical over gasoline, in addition to these aged 18 to 29 (57%) and 30 to 44 (52%).
Curiosity is even larger in Canada’s massive city areas. In a survey of the Better Toronto Hamilton Space (pattern measurement: 1,500) and Metro Vancouver (pattern measurement: 1,500) carried out between November 2024 and January 2025, additionally by Abacus Information on behalf of Clear Power Canada, seven in 10 respondents (69%) within the Metro Vancouver area favoured EVs.
Within the GTHA, which has far decrease EV uptake than Metro Vancouver, 55% of respondents nonetheless most well-liked getting an EV over a gasoline automotive, whereas that quantity elevated to 62% when offered with a variety of information about EVs, suggesting a level of persuadability.
QUOTE
“The query for governments shouldn’t be whether or not Canadians need to go electrical. It’s at all times been the case that so many do—particularly youthful Canadians. The query is how can we decrease the limitations stopping them from doing so. And the largest barrier, by far, is sticker value. The world has high-quality, lower-cost electrical automobiles, and it’s clear that Canadians want to get their arms on them.”
—Trevor Melanson, director of communications, Clear Power Canada
The survey was carried out with 2,585 Canadians from June 2 to five, 2025. A random pattern of panelists had been invited to finish the survey from a set of associate panels based mostly on the Lucid trade platform. These companions are usually double opt-in survey panels, blended to handle out potential skews within the knowledge from a single supply. The margin of error for a comparable probability-based random pattern of the identical measurement is +/- 1.92%, 19 occasions out of 20. The info had been weighted in response to census knowledge to make sure that the pattern matched Canada’s inhabitants in response to age, gender, and area. Totals might not add as much as 100 attributable to rounding.
