The mayor of Toronto, Olivia Chow, announced on Monday that due to the trade tensions with the USA, Toronto will no longer provide financial incentives for owners of Autos to purchase Tesla vehicles for taxis or ride-sharing.

According to Toronto's Zero Emissions Grant program, by the end of 2029, the city will waive licensing fees and renewal fees for drivers and vehicle owners to promote the adoption of electric cars as rental vehicles to help reduce emissions.

However, Olivia Chow told the media that as of March 1, Tesla Autos will no longer be eligible for subsidies.

"Vehicles used for rental, such as taxis, will have to find a different type of Autos. They can also purchase Other electric cars," she said.

According to Olivia Chow, this "exclusion" will continue until the trade issues with the USA are resolved.

Olivia Chow clearly told the media that this decision was made against Tesla CEO Elon Musk, who is a senior advisor to USA President Donald Trump. Trump has repeatedly called for the annexation of Canada and imposed tariffs on Canadian products, angering Canadians.

"We have definitely said that if you want to buy a Tesla, go ahead, but don’t expect taxpayer money to subsidize it," she said.

Zou Zhihui stated that this move will not have a significant impact on finance. She said, "This is more of a symbolic significance."

In fact, since Musk helped Trump return to the White House and got involved in politics, a group of "boycotters" has emerged against Tesla. Earlier this month, protesters gathered outside Tesla stores in various locations in the USA, protesting Musk's push to cut federal spending.

Musk's critics hope to stop people from buying Tesla Autos, making the purchase of Teslas a stigmatized act, thus impacting Tesla's sales. They believe that Musk's actions openly defy Congress's authority to control the USA budget, and there are many ways for him to benefit personally.

In addition, a survey involving more than 0.1 million Germans shows that the vast majority of Germans hold a negative attitude towards Musk, with only 3% of respondents saying they would continue to consider buying a Tesla; up to 94% of Germans indicated they would no longer purchase Tesla Autos.

Data shows that in 2024, Tesla's electric vehicle sales in Germany plummeted by 41% to 37,574 units; while in the first two months of this year, Tesla's sales in Germany declined by nearly 70% year-on-year. At the same time, Tesla has also faced a sharp drop in sales in European countries such as Sweden and France.

Editor/lambor