this post was submitted on 19 Sep 2025
129 points (96.4% liked)

Canada

10635 readers
475 users here now

What's going on Canada?



Related Communities


🍁 Meta


🗺️ Provinces / Territories


🏙️ Cities / Local Communities

Sorted alphabetically by city name.


🏒 SportsHockey

Football (NFL): incomplete

Football (CFL): incomplete

Baseball

Basketball

Soccer


💻 Schools / Universities

Sorted by province, then by total full-time enrolment.


💵 Finance, Shopping, Sales


🗣️ Politics


🍁 Social / Culture


Rules

  1. Keep the original title when submitting an article. You can put your own commentary in the body of the post or in the comment section.

Reminder that the rules for lemmy.ca also apply here. See the sidebar on the homepage: lemmy.ca


founded 4 years ago
MODERATORS
top 50 comments
sorted by: hot top controversial new old
[–] reddig33@lemmy.world 17 points 1 month ago* (last edited 1 month ago) (5 children)

I don’t get this argument. Europe makes and exports EVs. Japan and Korea do too. Buy from them if you don’t want something US branded. Build EVs in Canada.

load more comments (5 replies)
[–] Jarix@lemmy.world 11 points 1 month ago

Kind of a tangent, but everytime I read "need a more nuanced..." In regards to regulation, from an industry person or a politician, I can't help but assume they are just trying to create some kind of loophole to massively exploit something they weren't already allowed to

[–] Arkouda@lemmy.ca 9 points 1 month ago (6 children)

Canada should not be doing business with either country. When we can, we should decouple from both entirely.

No need to make nice with hostile dictatorships. Especially when those hostile dictatorships are constantly attacking our country and citizens on a regular basis.

Buy a bike. Electric cars are not the answer.

[–] FaceDeer@fedia.io 11 points 1 month ago (29 children)

Right, a bike. That's going to help me bring all those groceries home, it'll be an okay form of transport when it's raining or -30°C, when I need to go across the city on an errand or appointment, when I need to give someone a lift, when I'm visiting a relative who lives the next city over, and so forth and so on.

[–] LeFantome@programming.dev 6 points 1 month ago (10 children)

I have 4 kids. Comments telling me to put their groceries and hockey gear in a basket are hilarious.

load more comments (10 replies)
load more comments (28 replies)
[–] orioler25@lemmy.ca 6 points 1 month ago* (last edited 1 month ago) (5 children)

Not even a joke, someone on a bike was struck by a car and killed just a few blocks away from me this very morning; fourth one in the past few years in this area.

"Buy a bike," is such privileged shit, dude. Most people in Canada do not live in a place where bikes are a viable option. I don't have an extra three hours in my day that also puts me at substantially higher risk of bodily harm. If they're not affluent hobbyist the most common bike rider is someone who cannot afford the expense of a vehicle and are exploited much more heavily by our public transport system.

Car dependency is certainly an existential issue that manifests in Canada's city planning, cost of living, and environmental footprint. What you just said, that people's choices are the problem, is exactly the narrative the state and capitalists would like you to subscribe to. It is a systemic issue remedied only by decades of consistent advocacy and action.

Why don't you take a look at the authorities in Canadian territory that have fought tooth and nail to defend system we have for the better part of the last century?

[–] Mavvik@lemmy.ca 2 points 1 month ago (1 children)

Infrastructure is not the best for cyclists I agree and I dont blame you for feeling unsafe for riding your bike. Everyone has a different threat model though and most Canadians live in large urban areas with large and expanding bike networks that they can take advantage of. That might not mean commuting to work by bike but maybe trips like going to the grocery store or the dentist can be replaced by bike trips.

I do agree that safe cycling infrastructure is one of the largest barriers to getting people on bikes, but let's not pretend that there is some big modern day conspiracy against bike lanes. It's everyday people who fight tooth and nail against every bike lane that is proposed because they will take away parking or driving lanes. Doug Ford might have a personal vendetta against bike lanes but many many people support this vendetta and support Ford because he is trying to remove them.

[–] orioler25@lemmy.ca 1 points 1 month ago (3 children)

I'm so tired of privileged people in the city talking down to everyone else like we don't know how cities work ("different threat models" fuck outta here with that bullshit). I've lived in cities ranging from 200k to 700k and guess what? There isn't bike infrastructure; you share the road and there's some adequate bike-lanes in affluent neighbourhoods that I don't give a shit about. In the city I'm currently in, bike-lanes share a merge with turning lanes f so nooooobody uses them because they don't want to get nailed by some douchebag in a light truck who can't even see past the steering wheel. Nobody is talking about a conspiracy, this is the reality of neoliberal politics and the ruins of suburban sprawl. When I say, "authorities" I'm referring to the systems of power that operate in opposition to workers and the land that relegates decisions for infrastructure to affluent land-owners who couldn't give a shit less about sustainability or accessibility. I also saw you put "wear warm clothes" as a response to someone saying that dangerous winter weather makes bikes impractical like you're on some Marie Antoinette shit. Don't talk to me like you understand any of this when it's obvious you haven't actually had to live in different places in this country.

Regardless of that, car-dependency makes biking distances prohibitively expensive in the one way that you clearly have never had to think about: time. I do not have the fucking time to bike to my dentist or grocery store -- even if I had a backfiets that could actually carry groceries -- when everything is spaced out to accomodate cars. It's nice that you have time for that, most people have work and responsibilites that puts their time at a premium and that makes biking a very low priority on how to live sustainably. I cannot afford to bike. Everything you've said speaks from the distorition that individual choice is a primary vector for change when we know that systemic causes for decisions, like driving instead of biking, provide more effective explanations and paths to real change. You subscribe to the very narratives that are used to reproduce this unsustainable way of life and have the gall to sit there and act like you know better than others. -

load more comments (3 replies)
load more comments (4 replies)
[–] skozzii@lemmy.ca 3 points 1 month ago (2 children)

The rural parts of Canada would like to have a word. A bike ain't gonna cut it unless your young and single and living in a city.

[–] Arkouda@lemmy.ca 2 points 1 month ago (5 children)

I had a bike living in the rural parts of Canada, and used it to get everywhere within the 50-100 kms I needed to go.

load more comments (5 replies)
load more comments (1 replies)
[–] shawn1122@sh.itjust.works 2 points 1 month ago

Both economies are too big for that to be feasible.

load more comments (2 replies)
[–] TankovayaDiviziya@lemmy.world 8 points 1 month ago

Canada has a fascist eyeing up on its ass while a pseudo-communist, quasi-state capitalist is giving him the sultry look from across the waters. Not exactly a good position to be in.

[–] BCBoy911@lemmy.ca 7 points 1 month ago* (last edited 1 month ago)

We lifted all the tariffs on the US as a "gesture of goodwill" to Big Daddy Trump and yet keep these stupid tariffs on China that are crushing our lumber and agriculture industries into dust out west, in order to protect some token auto industry jobs building gas-guzzling American cars. Feels like we're already the 51st state and Trump is just going to make it official.

[–] humanspiral@lemmy.ca 7 points 1 month ago* (last edited 1 month ago) (4 children)

The threat of Chinese EVs is absolutely necessary to support for any non traitorous Canadian.

No one has firm plans to make EVs in Canada. The threat can at very least get "best offers" of investment and commitments to Canada that might be better for Canadian economy, even if it helps destroy climate. Cannibalism was always going to be preferred over human sustainability.

Canada benefits from investment. If every other company in the world is too afraid of Trump to invest in Canada, then Canada needs China. The end. Obviously, a trade deal would include an investment deal.

Canada is a giant global auto market equal to UK for 7th place. Measured in over priced vehicles too. Significant boost to Canadian standard of living to have access to better value EVs, which are already better value cars than ICE engine alternatives. Quieter, faster, power your home in emergency, urban life quality for non drivers.

When Canada removed DST, not only did we get zero in return from US government, the tech companies that avoided the tax didn't even show any gratitude with data center or other investments in Canada. ONLY flirting with non US colonies can Canada get any investments (or genuine defense commitments) from US and its colonies.

[–] betanumerus@lemmy.ca 6 points 1 month ago* (last edited 1 month ago) (3 children)

"No one has firm plans to make EVs in Canada" - Not true, Canada had and still has Lion Electric for example. All Canadian schools should get their buses there. It's a great place for adoption to start. They also had/have trucks. Lack of support from Canada is shameful.

[–] humanspiral@lemmy.ca 4 points 1 month ago (1 children)

There was a big bet/hope on Honda battery facility. AFAIK, its on hold for perpetuity until Trump doesn't scare Honda anymore, which won't happen, because any future president/US politician will like that Honda is a sycophant to it. Lion counts a little bit, busses actually very important emissions sources, but it's relatively small part of Canadian transportation.

[–] betanumerus@lemmy.ca 4 points 1 month ago

School buses carry 100% of future car buyers and those who experiment EVs don't go back to ICE.

[–] anguo@piefed.ca 3 points 1 month ago

Didn't Lion Electric go bankrupt?

load more comments (1 replies)
[–] LeFantome@programming.dev 4 points 1 month ago

Canada is a large car market. More importantly, vehicles manufactured here will eventually be exported to the US when their policy corrects.

And we will not round up your works in chains like they are doing in the US at the moment (eg. Hyundai).

load more comments (2 replies)
[–] rxbudian@lemmy.ca 4 points 1 month ago (3 children)

Once cheap imported EVs is sold in Canada, there's no way for Canada to build its own EV industry, which would remove the demand for batteries to be made in Canada

[–] Alloi@lemmy.world 2 points 1 month ago (5 children)

we are never going to build our own ev industry in time for it make any difference, the only places doing it are incredibly niche small companies making "kei trucks" and buses for public transit, or parts and assembly for foreign companies. and it would take decades for us to achieve a similar quality product that china has right now, if ever, and never at an affordable price in comparison.

the reason everyone isnt driving electric is because we dont have the availability, infrastructure, and pricing that makes it worthwhile.

we can 100% still make batteries and offer alternate solutions with said batteries rather than using them to create our "own ev line" we could make drop in battery/motor conversion kits for instance. for bikes, cars, trucks, buses, whatever you can imagine.

also we could use them to create and maintain municipal public transit, like torontos/vancouvers rental ebikes, except not privately owned. buses are already being converted as well. (looking at you winnipeg)

having locally made batteries will never not be valuable. having additional options and RnD cant hurt.

realistically speaking. theres zero chance we will be able to ever offer a more affordable and similar quality all canadian EV vehicle line up in the next several decades. thats a pipe dream.

but batteries, and the stuff to make them, will only go up in demand. and its possible that domestic batteries some day might be cheaper, if we play our cards right.

load more comments (5 replies)
load more comments (2 replies)
[–] GaMEChld@lemmy.world 3 points 1 month ago (2 children)

Why does Canada tariff them? Do they have domestic production they are protecting?

[–] SaveTheTuaHawk@lemmy.ca 3 points 1 month ago

Canada assembles vehicle for Detroit and Japan. About 400,000 direct and indirect jobs, mostly in Ontario.

I have no idea why we bother to tariff EVs when they barely crack 7 percent in sales and at best may see 25 percent.

load more comments (1 replies)
load more comments
view more: next ›