Columbia River-Revelstoke MLA Scott McInnis and Opposition Critic for Transportation and MLA for Langley-Abbotsford Harman Bhangu are sounding the alarm over federal electric vehicle (EV) mandate regulations that threaten to shut down production at Edison Motors, a pioneering B.C. company building Canada’s first-ever hybrid-electric semi-trucks in Golden.

In an open letter to federal Environment Minister Julie Dabrusin, Conservative Party MLAs Bhangu and McInnis warn that the current EV mandate rules are so inflexible and poorly designed that they block Edison Motors from bringing its hybrid-electric trucks to market – even though the trucks are already Transport Canada-certified and deliver major emissions reductions compared to conventional diesel.

Edison Motors’ trucks run on electric motors powered by onboard batteries, recharged by a small, highly efficient generator. Yet federal regulators have banned the generator’s use because it is certified as “off-highway” rather than “on-highway,” even though no “on-highway” generator exists for this type of vehicle. The result: Edison is being forced to revert to building conventional diesel trucks – the exact opposite of the government’s stated emissions goals, a Conservative Party media release outlined.

Beyond the environmental setback, the EV mandate policy blunder threatens dozens of good-paying, rural jobs in Golden. Edison Motors has gone so far as to build on-site employee housing to ensure workers have affordable accommodation without driving up local rents – a rare example of responsible, community-first industrial growth.

“This is exactly the kind of made-in-Canada innovation the federal government should be championing,” said MLA Bhangu. “Instead, Ottawa’s one-size-fits-all rules are punishing Edison Motors, a BC company that’s reducing emissions, creating jobs, and proving Canadian engineering can lead the world.”

He added: “Edison Motors should be celebrated, not strangled by red tape. The NDP in Victoria and the Liberals in Ottawa talk about supporting clean-tech jobs – but when push comes to shove, their radical EV mandate policies kill the jobs and threaten to destroy production at BC businesses like Edison Motors.”

“Golden and the Columbia River–Revelstoke region are proud to be home to Edison Motors,” said MLA McInnis.

“These are skilled, family-supporting jobs that strengthen our rural economy. Ottawa needs to fix this now – before they force a Canadian success story to shut down manufacturing of their incredible, cutting-edge hybrid-electric semi-trucks.”

The elected officials are calling on Minister Dabrusin to immediately end the EV mandates and save the Canadian jobs and manufacturing production from Edison Motors and allow the B.C. company to proceed with its first-of-their-kind hybrid-electric semi-truck builds.

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