Ontario to Include Tesla Customers in Rebates After Court Defeat

Despite the issues and controversies plaguing Tesla and its CEO Elon Musk, Tesla Motors Canada recently won the case against the government of Ontario over electric vehicle rebates after the court’s ruling decision.

The Decision

Last Monday night, the Ontario Superior Court Judge Frederic Myers ruled that the Ontario government’s decision to exclude Tesla customers from availing of the Electric and Hydrogen Vehicle Incentive Program (EHVIP) was unlawful. The ruling directed the government to provide an adequate evidence and justification for excluding the company from the said rebate program.

A Tesla representative stated how the company was pleased with the Court’s decision to strike down the government for their unfair and unlawful transition plan.

The Ontario government’s spokesperson for Attorney General Caroline Mulroney states the government will review the said ruling and will make a decision, as well as the necessary actions to proceed in the next coming days.

Meanwhile, the Ontario NDP critic for the Ministry of Attorney General Sara Singh said the decision was only the first of many court decisions against the Ford government. According to her, Premier Doug Ford has a reputation for making people and businesses lose their sales and pay for his torn up cap and trade and green energy programs and contracts.

The Lawsuit

In the last mid-month of August, Tesla Canada filed a lawsuit against the Ontario government after they had canceled the electric vehicle rebate program. According to Tesla Canada, their company suffered from a significant loss of sales after the government’s decision.

The company filed the said lawsuit after Ford decided to scrap the province’s EHVIP program launched by the previous Liberal government. The said program would’ve offered rebates up to $14,000 on qualifying electric vehicles.

Tesla Canada stated that the government deliberately excluded its customers from availing of the said incentive, providing no warning to the company or any chance to offer their input.

When the government canceled the EHVIP program, the province promised to give incentives to the citizens who have their vehicle plated, registered, and delivered under the condition that the vehicle must be purchased before September 10.

However, the province said the incentive would be forfeited if the customers ordered or purchased the vehicle directly from the manufacturer like Tesla. The said decision caused Tesla to lose their sales for the month of August, which brought significant harm to the company.

Left Out

While Tesla Canada remains a legal Ontario-licensed dealer, they stated in the lawsuit that their company suffered unfair and unjust treatment when their customers no longer qualified for the said incentive program, unlike those customers who bought their electric vehicles from other companies and were still eligible for incentives.

The new government’s ruling disappointed loyal Tesla buyers like Calvin Kamura especially since he didn’t know what to do afterward. He was shocked when he first heard he wasn’t eligible for rebates anymore.

According to him, it was painful to lose an astounding $14,000 especially since he knew it wasn’t just a small amount of money. Lastly, he confessed how he felt he was being targeted with unfair treatment, especially since he knew every other manufacturer offered rebates to their customers.

The Rebate

Following the said decision, the minister of Transportation John Yakabuski states he has directed the ministry to expand the wind-down process and include Tesla customers from qualifying for rebates.

He also promises incentives will be available to all customers (including Tesla’s) as long as all the conditions were met. He also urges the customers to prepare the necessary documents and submit the requirements before September 10 to get their rebates.