Prime Minister Mark Carney met in Ottawa with the chief executives of Ford Canada, Stellantis Canada and GM Canada, along with Canadian Vehicle Manufacturers’ Association head Brian Kingston, to discuss the federal electric-vehicle sales mandate and newly imposed U.S. tariffs. After the talks, Kingston said the industry is “cautiously optimistic” the government will scale back or repeal the mandate, which automakers warn is unattainable under current market conditions. The regulation requires 20 per cent of all new light-duty vehicles sold in Canada to be zero-emission as early as 2026, rising to 60 per cent in 2030 and 100 per cent by 2035. Electric cars accounted for only 7.5 per cent of April 2025 sales, down sharply after Ottawa’s C$3 billion purchase-rebate program ran out of funds in January. Kingston estimated the industry would have to pull roughly one million gasoline vehicles from dealer lots next year to hit the target, or taxpayers would need to finance nearly C$1 billion in new incentives. Opposition Conservatives, who liken the mandate to a carbon tax, renewed calls for its cancellation, arguing it would add up to C$20,000 to the cost of a new car and threaten tens of thousands of jobs. Carney has not announced a decision, but officials said the policy is under review alongside possible consumer rebates, leaving both industry and critics awaiting clarity ahead of the 2026 deadline.