Supporting EVs is the best way to lower cost of driving

September 19, 2018

TORONTO — The PC government is taking credit for a seasonal drop in gas prices, attributing it to their climate cancellation bill, even though it hasn't yet become law.

“It’s a complete farce for this government to be lavishing praise on itself for the drop in gas prices. The cap-and-trade bill hasn’t even passed through the legislature yet. This is a seasonal change that happens every year and is unrelated to anything the PC government has done,” said Mike Schreiner, leader of the Green Party of Ontario.

The Conservative government’s obsession with gas prices prevents them from taking real steps to make driving cleaner and more affordable for people. Since coming to power, the Conservatives have made ideologically driven decisions to cancel EV rebates, dismantle climate action, and close Ontario to the $26 trillion clean economy.

“I want to loosen the noose the fossil fuel industry has on our neck. If this government was really concerned about reducing the cost of driving, they would be supporting electric vehicles, which can be operated at one-fifth the cost of an internal combustion vehicle,” said Schreiner.

“They would be building transit and making it less expensive to use.”

According to recent data, Canadians can expect to spend around $300 a year in electricity costs to charge electric vehicles, which is one-tenth of what a pick-up truck driver spends on gas.

“The real solution to lowering the cost of driving is to support the electrification of our transportation system. Fiddling with gas prices isn’t going to bring real, long-term change to make people’s lives better and more affordable,” said Schreiner.

“We’re seeing countries around the world set a phase-out date for gasoline powered vehicles to improve their air quality and to save money by saving energy. But in our province, Premier Ford is putting big oil before people and planet.”

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