Canada processes $122 M in EV rebates, dealers face delays

The federal government has processed more than $122 million in rebate claims for new electric vehicles since relaunching its subsidy program in February, but many car dealers report they are still waiting for reimbursement. Transport Canada published data for the Electric Vehicle Affordability Program (EVAP) on Tuesday, showing 24,389 claims have been recorded since the program resumed on February 16. A technical glitch prevents a breakdown of dollar figures per claim, which the department says it will update once resolved.

The program, which has a total allocation of $2.275 billion over five years, operates by having dealers apply the rebate at the point of sale and then seek reimbursement from Ottawa. However, the Canadian Auto Dealers Association says many dealerships have not been paid, with some waiting for more than $200,000. Association spokesperson Huw Williams stated that the commitment to timely payment has not been met in the early stages, hurting business cash flow. He noted that some claims have been denied due to administrative errors, such as incorrect sale dates, and there is currently no appeal mechanism for these rejections. Williams added that dealers lost...