Tesla Model Y Leads Canada’s Federal EV Rebate Claims In August, But Surprisingly Ranks 16th in Quebec

The Tesla Model Y was Canada’s most-claimed electric vehicle under the federal EV rebate program in August 2026. However, the Model Y didn’t even crack the top 10 in Quebec, despite it also being eligible for provincial-level rebates.

According to an analysis of Transport Canada’s raw EVAP federal rebate open data, the Model Y recorded 691 rebate claims outside Quebec during the month. In second place was the Chevrolet Bolt, which had 577 claims.

Unlike in previous rebate programs where multiple Tesla vehicles were eligible, under EVAP only one vehicle in Tesla’s lineup is eligible for the $5,000 rebate – the 2026 Model Y RWD.

Ontario and British Columbia were the biggest contributors to Tesla’s August performance. In Ontario, the Model Y ranked first among eligible EVs with 362 claims out of 2,267 total provincial claims, representing about 16% of the market.

In B.C., the Model Y also claimed the top spot with 311 claims out of 1,913 total requests, ahead of the Toyota bZ with 177 claims. The Model Y represented 16.3% of all eligible EV rebate requests in the province.

The picture was different in Quebec, where the Model Y RWD ranked 16th with only 63 claims – the same amount as the Kia EV4. Quebec accounted for more than half of all federal EV rebate requests in August, but only 11.5% of Tesla’s 1,945 claims received so far this year.

As we noted, this was a surprise as the Model Y RWD is also eligible for Quebec’s now $2,000 EV rebate, meaning customers in that province can get the Model Y RWD for $7,000 less than its retail price.

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One factor that may influence the provincial differences is leasing behaviour. Nearly 49% of Quebec’s rebate claims were for leases, compared with just 4.3% of Tesla claims. However, the available data does not confirm whether the lease mix directly affects Tesla’s lower share in the province.

Tesla’s rebate activity has accelerated since the program launched. Monthly claims climbed from 46 in March, when the program was active for only two days, to 754 in August — the company’s strongest month so far. Tesla claims increased 291% from July to August, compared with an 18% increase across all EV rebate requests.

Despite that growth, Tesla ranked fifth nationally by model in August with 754 claims out of 10,956 total requests. Chevrolet led all brands with 3,130 claims.

Transport Canada reported $2 billion remained in the rebate fund as of September 1, 2026. The figures represent rebate requests received, not final approvals or paid rebates, and totals may change as applications are processed.

All 1,945 Tesla claims submitted so far are for the 2026 Model Y RWD, which is currently the only Tesla eligible for the federal incentive. The Model 3, Model S, Model X and Cybertruck do not qualify under the program.