Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre has condemned the Liberal government's electric vehicle sales mandate, claiming it threatens rural life in Canada. Speaking at a press event in Saskatchewan on Thursday, Poilievre criticized the policy, which aims for all vehicle sales in Canada to be zero-emission by 2035. He described the mandate as an attack on farmers and rural communities.

The mandate sets incremental targets, starting with a 20 percent electric vehicle sales goal by 2026, increasing to 30 percent by 2030. Poilievre argued that this policy would harm rural communities, stating, "It will kill jobs, balloon costs and grind rural communities to a halt. Farmers, ranchers, resource workers would not be able to do their jobs because EVs don’t work over long distances and in cold weather. It would literally erase many small towns from the map."

He further claimed that the mandate would not only threaten rural areas but also jeopardize the auto sector. Poilievre announced plans for a nationwide campaign to pressure the government to repeal the mandate. This campaign will include efforts in Liberal ridings, press conferences at car dealerships, and motions and petitions in Parliament this fall.

Currently, Poilievre is campaigning in Alberta for the Battle River—Crowfoot byelection after losing his Ottawa-area seat in the last general election. His comments come amid growing skepticism among Canadians regarding the EV sales mandate. A recent Leger-Postmedia poll indicated that 71 percent of respondents believe the federal government's goal is unrealistic and should be rolled back.

The mandate has also faced criticism from major automakers. Shortly after Mark Carney took office, the CEOs of five major car manufacturers urged him to repeal the zero-emission vehicle sales mandate, warning it could cause significant damage to the industry.

During his press conference, Poilievre also addressed recent tariffs imposed by China on Canadian canola seed, which he described as a delayed response to Canada's tariffs on electric vehicles from China. He accused Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and Carney of failing to protect Canadian farmers from these tariffs, stating, "These tariffs are unfair and unjustified, and we lament the fact that Mark Carney has been so silent and so weak, failing to stand up for our farmers against these tariffs."