Just realized it has been a while since I last posted. Glad to see I have not incurred the rath of any Michael Bolton fans out there......
JB and I have been discussing the possibility of trading in our GM(General Mess, see Chevrolet blog for the ongoing saga) and getting a new set of wheels. In light of the fact that both of us play golf and JB also plays baseball we require more than a Mini Cooper or other such small vehicle. After admonishing all of our friends who purchased Jeeps or SUV's due to their gas guzzling, environmental killing tendencies. I felt I had to put my money where my mouth is and look for a larger vehicle or SUV that is a hybrid. I cannot support any car company that is not forward thinking enough to manufacture a hybrid in this day and age.
I am 100% positive that our next vehicle purchase will be a hybrid. I am currently looking into the Toyota Highlander Hybrid. Which leads me to the million dollar question or $1000 question...... What do I get as a consumer in the Province of Ontario if I purchase a Hybrid?
I recently read an article in Common Dreams about the amazing incentives south of the border being afforded to consumers who purchase hybrid vehicles. They range from tax rebates of $3000 coupled with additional incentives from employers which range in the $2000 to $3000 mark. Typically a Hybrid model costs anywhere from $5000 to $10,000 more. Numerous Corporations and State Governments are assisting in offsetting this cost for their employees and citizens. In Boston, the Bank of America Corporation provides employees with a $3000 incentive to purchase a hybrid car and that is on top of the proposed $2000 tax rebate that their governor plans to back. This more than offsets the difference in price between a conventional vehicle and a hybrid. In the City of New Haven, hybrid owners can park for free at all parking meters. Google Corporation offers $5000 to employees who purchase a hybrid.
What do I receive as a citizen of Ontario, Canada? ..... A partial rebate of up to $1000 off the sales tax. Wow, way to go Canada! You do me proud! I am embarrassed. We talk and talk about our wonderful country and how much better it is then the US but apparently we are not as great as the US when it comes to wanting to stop polluting our air and looking for alternatives to the ongoing massive fuel consumption that happens here in North America. Only three Provinces in Canada even offer any sort of incentive at all for a hybrid purchase. British Columbia, PEI and Ontario are the three Provinces.
Honestly, I wish that I did not need a vehicle at all but my employer is moving our department to a newly acquired facility. Moving us from our downtown location to a location north of the city. As I live in the city, it currently takes me a maximum of 20 mins to get here if I take the public transit system. Getting to the new location via public transit would take me well over an hour and would involve taking the subway and at least two or three buses. It is unbelievably complicated to get to this location by public transit. This leaves me no alternative other than to drive each day as it would appear that this city and province are never going to put the money into building a half decent public transit system which addressed the urban sprawl this City has experienced over the past 10 to 15 years. So, I will still get the hybrid vehicle despite the lack of incentives from my government. I will be asking my employer about incentives for employees who purchase hybrid vehicles in our next employee forum about "the big move". Doubt I will get anything. I should just be happy I have a well paying job. Makes me sad that not everyone wants to be part of the solution, it would appear. Don't get me wrong. I am not saying I am the equivalent of Dr. Albert Schweitzer or some of the other noble stewards of the planet but I do want to try and limit my own personal green house emissions.
I will be starting my letter and phone campaign very shortly to try and get better incentives for those who want to make a difference no matter how small as lets face it we are still buying gas for these hybrids but does Toronto or Canada for that matter really want to be outdone by our friends to the south.
Quote for today:
Why should man expect his prayer for mercy to be heard by What is above him when he shows no mercy to what is under him?~Pierre Troubetzkoy
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