
With Fading Rebates, EVs like VinFast's VF 8 Offer Rare Value in 2025
MARHAM, Ontario--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- With the federal EV rebate now ended and Quebec still offering up to $4,000 in 2025, Canadians eyeing electric vehicles—like the VinFast VF 8—face a narrowing but still lucrative window of opportunity as provincial incentives tighten and the market shifts toward long-term policy.
The federal iZEV Program, which once offered up to $5,000 in rebates for qualifying zero-emission vehicles, has recently ended after its successful run. Several provinces maintain their own incentives - Quebec provides up to $4,000 in rebates in 2025, which can significantly reduce the purchase price of a new EV.
These programs are evolving as the EV market matures. Provincial rebates are being adjusted yearly, with some scheduled to decrease through 2027. This follows a global pattern where EV support is transitioning from early adoption incentives to more sustainable long-term policies. Germany adjusted its subsidies in 2023, while the UK has shifted its focus to expanding charging infrastructure.
The incentives window are closing
A recent AutoTrader survey reveals that 68% of potential EV buyers consider government incentives in their purchase decision 1. As these incentives shift, consumers may need to adapt their strategies, particularly in provinces with generous but changing rebate structures.
The same AutoTrader survey shows 42% of Canadians are considering an electric vehicle for their next purchase. While this represents a slight adjustment from previous years, it signals a maturing market moving beyond early adopters.
Price parity remains a consideration. AutoTrader's research shows EVs typically cost 15-20% more than comparable gas-powered models upfront. In provinces with robust incentives like Quebec, these financial supports help bridge this gap while the industry continues to advance toward natural price competitiveness. Even in provinces without substantial rebates, the long-term ownership economics are improving as charging infrastructure expands.
For Canadians across the country, particularly in Quebec where provincial rebates remain among the strongest, the current incentive landscape creates a favorable window for EV purchases. With potential savings of several thousand dollars depending on location, the financial advantages in 2025 are substantial for eligible vehicles.
The current incentive landscape creates varying opportunities across different provinces. In Quebec, where the VF 8 qualifies for CAD$4,000 provincial rebates 2, buyers have a particularly strong financial case. And the timing remains an important factor. A Quebec family buying in 2025 could benefit from current rebate levels that may be adjusted in coming years. These savings can be significant - potentially equal to several monthly car payments.
The opportunity for VF 8 buyers
The VF 8 from VinFast, Vietnam's best-selling car manufacturer last year, is an affordable premium midsize crossover designed to meet the needs of today's EV buyers. It offers 349-402 hp of power, depending on the configuration, and comes standard with all-wheel drive, making it well-suited for challenging winter conditions across Canada.
With a range of 380-412 kilometers, the VF 8 addresses common concerns about distance, while its fast-charging capability allows the battery to go from 10% to 70% in about 31 minutes at compatible stations.
Advanced safety and driver assistance features come standard, including lane keeping, collision avoidance, adaptive cruise control, and 11 airbags positioned strategically to provide protection to everybody onboard.
The VF 8 also offers long-term peace of mind with a vehicle warranty that extends up to 10 years or 200,000 kilometers. Altogether, it represents exceptional value and showcases how EVs have evolved to meet Canadian expectations.
The road ahead
For Canadians considering an electric vehicle, 2025 represents a favorable alignment of factors: technology has matured, range capabilities meet most driving needs, charging infrastructure continues to expand, and provincial incentives remain available in key markets like Quebec and British Columbia.
Beyond 2025, the EV landscape will continue to improve with more models, better technology, and expanding infrastructure nationwide. While provincial incentive structures may evolve, particularly in Quebec where they are currently most generous, the overall trajectory toward electric mobility remains strong. Those considering the switch to electric will find regional advantages in 2025, with Quebec currently offering the most favorable combination of incentives and technology readiness that makes the transition both practical and economical.
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Bank of Canada head Tiff Macklem says mandate should evolve in a ‘shock-prone' world
OTTAWA - Tiff Macklem is wearing an Edmonton Oilers pin as he reflects on coming very close to beating big odds. It's a significant day for the governor of the Bank of Canada: he's just laid out his reasons to the entire country and a global audience for keeping the central bank's benchmark interest rate steady for a second straight time. That night is also Game 1 of the NHL's Stanley Cup finals; Macklem ends his press conference with a hearty 'Go Oilers!' It's a rematch from last year's heartbreak, when the Oilers came oh-so-close to mounting a seemingly impossible four-game comeback against the Florida Panthers, only to fall short by a single goal in Game 7. Macklem, too, was almost safe to declare victory last year. He had just about secured a coveted 'soft landing' for Canada's economy — a rare feat that sees restrictive monetary policy bring down surging levels of inflation without tipping the economy into a prolonged downturn. 'We got inflation down. 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Bank of Canada head Tiff Macklem says mandate should evolve in a 'shock-prone' world
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We didn't cause a recession," Macklem said in an interview with The Canadian Press after the rate announcement Wednesday. "And, to be frank, until President (Donald) Trump started threatening the economy with new tariffs, we were actually seeing growth pick up." Fresh out of one crisis, the central bank now must contend with another in U.S. tariffs. Five years into his tenure as head of the Bank of Canada, Macklem said he sees the central bank's role in stickhandling the economy — as well as Canada's role on the world stage — evolving. Many Canadians have become more familiar with the Bank of Canada in recent years. After the COVID-19 pandemic recovery ignited inflation, the central bank's rapid tightening cycle and subsequent rate cuts were top-line news for anxious Canadians stressed about rising prices and borrowing costs. 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Whether it's the high cost of rent or a mortgage, or surging prices for groceries and vehicles, Macklem said the past few years have been eye-opening to Canadians who weren't around the last time inflation hit double digits in the 1980s. "Unfortunately, a whole new generation of Canadians now know what inflation feels like, and they didn't like it one bit," he said. Monetary policy itself can't make homes more affordable, he noted — in a nutshell, high interest rates make mortgages more expensive while low rates can push up the price of housing itself because they stoke demand. But Macklem said one of the things he's reflecting on is that inflation can get worse when the economy isn't operating at its potential or when it's facing great disruption. "There is a role for monetary policy to smooth out some of that adjustment — support the economy while ensuring that inflation is well-controlled." He didn't offer suggestions on how the mandate might expand to address housing affordability specifically, but said "the work is ongoing" and will be settled in meetings with the federal government next year. Right now, he's trying to make sure that the economic impacts from Canada's tariff dispute with the United States don't result in prolonged inflation. The Bank of Canada is not alone in debating how monetary policy ought to respond in what Macklem called a more "shock-prone" world. The G7 Finance Ministers' Summit in Kananaskis, Alta., last month also featured roundtables with the bloc's central bankers. Conversations at the summit were "candid," Macklem said, and though the nations issued a joint statement at the close of the event, that doesn't mean they agreed on everything. "International co-operation, to be honest, has never been easy. It is particularly difficult right now, but that doesn't make it less important. That makes it more important," he said. 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An overheating economy running up against a supply disruption is the kind of inflationary fire Macklem is trying to avoid in this latest crisis. 'The economy does not work well when inflation is high," he said. "And the primary role of the Bank of Canada is to ensure that Canadians maintain confidence in price stability. That's all we can do for the Canadian economy. That's what we can do for Canadians. And that's what we're focused on." Later in the day on Wednesday, the Edmonton Oilers took Game 1 of the Stanley Cup finals. The Canadian team was down but roared back to win 4-3 in overtime. It's still early in the Bank of Canada's response to the latest global shock. But with any luck, Macklem's team might also get a leg up with lessons learned the last time they faced big odds. This report by The Canadian Press was first published June 7, 2025. 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