Mr. Premier,

Your messaging around electric vehicles is very confusing.

On one hand, you support ramping up electric vehicle production in Ontario as well as the mining of rare earth minerals in the Rim of Fire that are needed for EVs.

On the other hand, when asked if your government will consider subsidizing the purchase of EVs by Ontario consumers, as your predecessor did, you scoff and say you're "not going to give rebates to guys that are buying $100,000 cars — millionaires" (quote from CBC News).

Mr. Premier, my wife and I are not millionaires. We are among the nearly 70% of Canadians who want an EV to be their next car. We would be happy buying a Toyota or a Hyundai, which have sticker prices between $30,000 and $50,000. But the premium price of EVs, even though they last longer and have lower running costs, is a barrier for us. Clearly, the examples of BC and Quebec show that many more people will buy EVs when their provincial government provides a consumer rebate.

If you're so concerned about not wanting to subsidize millionaires, perhaps you should reconsider your plans for the unneeded and frivolous Highway 413, since it's essentially a subsidy to millionaire developers at taxpayers' expense.

But getting back to EVs, here's my question: why could you not introduce a rebate program that only applies to vehicles that retail at a lower price? Or apply an income test that would disqualify higher income earners or people above a certain net worth?

Reintroducing an EV rebate program in Ontario, alongside the existing federal rebate, would stimulate EV production in the province. It would generate jobs while reducing greenhouse emissions. It's hard to see a downside here.

Mr. Ford, please wake up and smell the shade-grown fair trade organic coffee. The world is changing, and even conservative economists recognize that taking smart action on reducing greenhouse gas emissions, like EV purchase rebates, is good for the economy as well as the environment.

Doug Cleverley, Owen Sound