The Manitoba government has launched its new rebate program to get people revved up and thinking about buying an electric vehicle (EV) that will help more Manitobans lower their emissions and save money on gas.
“We know Manitobans want to do their part to help lower emissions and protect our environment, and we want to help them make the switch,” said Environment and Climate Change Minister Tracy Schmidt. “This is a win-win for our province. We’re fighting the climate crisis while also lowering costs for families right away with a rebate on EVs and helping them save money every month on their daily commute.”
The new $25-million Manitoba Electric Vehicle Rebate program will offer a $4,000 incentive on new qualifying EV purchases and a $2,500 incentive on used qualifying EV purchases, including EVs purchased on or after Aug. 1, 2023, and will run until March 2026.
“We are delivering on our campaign promise to help Manitoba families afford an electric vehicle,” said Finance Minister Adrien Sala. “This is a significant rebate up front and it will help you save money in the long term – even with the lowest gas prices in Canada.”
To be eligible, vehicles must be purchased or leased from Manitoba dealerships with a maximum manufacturer’s suggested retail price (MSRP) of $70,000 for new vehicles or a maximum $70,000 purchase price for used vehicles, with one rebate per vehicle and per owner. New Tesla vehicles with a maximum MSRP of $70,000 purchased outside of Manitoba between Aug. 1, 2023, and May 2, 2024, also qualify.
“As early adopters, we bought our first electric vehicle 12 years ago now,” said Shelley Kowalchuk, an electric vehicle owner. “It was such a positive move, we bought a second one 5 years ago and we still drive both today. Our EVs save us money and they help the environment by reducing our dependency on fossil fuels. That’s a win-win for us. Manitoba is a great province to own an EV – the cost of electricity here is cheaper than most other provinces and the vehicles are very low maintenance. For example, our first EV is 12 years old now and we only just had its first brake job this spring. We’re thrilled that the province will be offering provincial rebates. We see EVs are getting cheaper every year and this fact combined with these rebates will enable many folks to take the leap to go electric, and that’s great.”
The ministers also noted Manitoba Hydro offers Manitobans a financing program to install Level 2 electric vehicle chargers at their homes.
“The members of Global Automakers of Canada wish to acknowledge and support the progressive efforts by the Manitoba government to make the transition to electric vehicles more affordable for Manitobans through the introduction of the Manitoba Electric Vehicle Rebate program,” said David Adams, president and CEO, Global Automakers of Canada.
Both battery electric vehicles and plug-in hybrid electric vehicles are eligible for the incentive. Used EVs must be less than four years old and incentives for leased vehicles will be proportionate to the length of the lease, with a full incentive for a four-year lease.
Manitobans who already bought an EV between Aug. 1, 2023, and July 1, 2024, can apply for the incentive on the Manitoba Public Insurance website starting on July 2.
