WINNIPEG — Owners of Tesla vehicles were the biggest beneficiaries in recent months of electric-vehicle rebates offered by the Manitoba government, newly released documents show.
The province announced last summer that it would offer rebates of up to $4,000 to people who buy or lease electric vehicles with a suggested retail price of less than $70,000. The rebates were available retroactively for purchases made as far back as the previous summer.
Between last August and February of this year, Tesla vehicles accounted for more than 20 per cent of all approved rebates — or 337 vehicles — for a total of just under $1.3 million, according to a spreadsheet obtained by The Canadian Press under the freedom of information law.
Ford was in a distant second place with 226 vehicles and $864,500, followed by Hyundai, Chevrolet and others among 22 car companies.
The Manitoba government ended rebates for purchases of Tesla vehicles and those made in China as part of its budget in March, to protest against tariffs imposed by the United States and China.
Finance Minister Adrien Sala had said the move was part of an "elbows up" response. Tesla has come under fire because its chief executive, Elon Musk, has served as an adviser to U.S. President Donald Trump.
The NDP government is reviewing some of its contracts for remote internet services with Starlink, another Musk company, although no decision has been announced.
The Opposition Progressive Conservatives said the government's changing rebate system is wrong.
"I'm opposed to the NDP singling out Teslas, currently, that they have been trying to push on Manitobans by bringing in this rebate program to begin with," Tory finance critic Lauren Stone said Wednesday.
"There are better ways to spend money right now in terms of helping with affordability with all Manitobans," she said, pointing to rising property taxes and food costs.
Sala said the rebate program has been a success.
"Manitobans want an affordable option to use clean energy and when Donald Trump threatened Canada's sovereignty, Manitobans wanted to send a message to the U.S. administration. By banning Teslas from the program, Manitobans can now do both," Sala said in a written statement.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published April 23, 2025.
Steve Lambert, The Canadian Press
