Tesla's exclusion from Manitoba EV program 'incredibly unfair,' politically motivated, court hears | CBC News
Tesla’s lawyers told a Manitoba court Monday that the company’s removal from the provincial electric-vehicle rebate program was unfair, unreasonable and insufficiently transparent. They said it remains unknown who made the decision or what authority they had.
Manitoba’s spring 2025 budget excluded Tesla and Chinese electric vehicles from the program. The change came shortly after a trade dispute began between Canada and the United States.
Tesla has asked for a judicial review, naming the province, Manitoba Public Insurance and the finance, environment and justice ministers. The company says it was not consulted and was given no explanation beyond media reports suggesting the move was intended as a political response to the U.S.
Tesla’s lawyer argued that a decision made for an improper purpose can be reviewed by the court. The province’s lawyer countered that the exclusion was a budget and policy choice, not a matter for judicial review.
The hearing has not clarified who in government made the decision or why. The court will consider whether the exclusion can be reviewed and whether it should be overturned.
Key points
- Tesla is asking a court to overturn its exclusion from Manitoba’s EV rebate program.
- The province argues the exclusion was a budget decision beyond judicial review.
- The hearing left unclear who approved the change and the reasons behind it.