Only 35% of Canadians Support EV Sales Quotas, Internal Federal Poll Finds

An internal federal poll conducted in August 2026 found that only 35% of Canadians support mandatory electric vehicle sales quotas, highlighting the growing political headwind for prescriptive EV policy in Canada. The result arrives as Ottawa has already repealed the Electric Vehicle Availability Standards — the national ZEV sales mandate — and promised replacement tailpipe standards that have not yet appeared.

What the poll found

Yahoo News Canada reported on August 31 that the internal poll measured public support for the quota approach. With only 35% backing mandatory EV sales targets, the data gives the federal government a clear signal that top-down mandates remain unpopular with the majority of Canadians. The poll does not, however, indicate whether respondents oppose EV adoption itself or simply object to the sales-quota mechanism.

The policy context

Canada's EV market has continued to grow even as the mandate was repealed. Ontario recorded its highest-ever EV market share in June 2026 — 9.4% of new vehicle sales — without a provincial rebate, and national EV sales have recovered strongly since the federal iZEV incentive restarted in February 2026.

But the political calculus is shifting. With the ZEV mandate gone and replacement standards still pending, the federal government is relying on consumer choice and purchase incentives rather than regulatory requirements to drive adoption. The 35% support figure suggests that approach may be more politically sustainable than re-imposing quotas, even if it moves more slowly.

What comes next

The public comment period on the ZEV mandate repeal closed on October 29, 2026. The promised tailpipe-emissions replacement standard has not been released, leaving a policy vacuum. For now, Canadian EV buyers and dealers are operating in a market shaped by federal rebates, provincial incentives, and consumer demand — not sales targets.

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