Ontario tax rebates for many alternative fuel vehicles

Eric Lai

SPECIAL TO THE STAR

Q: Are there any breaks on provincial sales tax if one buys an alternative fuel vehicle?

A: Scott Blodgett, a media relations officer for the Ontario Ministry of Finance and Ministry of Revenue, replies:

People who purchase or lease new or used vehicles licensed under the Highway Traffic Act (automobiles, buses, trucks and vans) may qualify for a rebate of retail sales tax if the vehicles operate or are converted to operate on an alternative fuel.

More information can be found at: rev.gov.on.ca/english/refund/vpaf/

Eric Lai adds:

A rebate of the 8 per cent retail sales tax (RST) paid on vehicles powered by alternative fuels, including RST paid on any conversion costs, is limited to:

$750 for propane vehicles;

$1,000 for vehicles powered by any other alternative fuel;

$1,000 for Hybrid Electric Vechicles (HEVs) delivered to purchasers after May 9, 2001 and before March 24, 2006;

$2,000 for HEVs delivered to purchasers after March 23, 2006 and before April 1, 2012.

Rebate claims must be made within four years of when the RST was paid. The rebate dollar limits do not apply to buses.

Vehicles must be converted within 180 days of purchase, if not already converted when bought. If converted after purchase, RST on the "gas guzzler tax" may also qualify for rebate.

Qualifying vehicles must operate exclusively on electricity, propane, natural gas, ethanol, methanol, or other manufactured gases; or be dual-powered (i.e. runs on one of the gases mentioned above and can also be switched to run on gasoline or diesel alone).

The rebate does not apply for vehicles operating on a mixture of an alternate fuel and gasoline or diesel (e.g. gasoline/ethanol blend).

Q: Is there an alternative to the acetylene cutting torch for a home mechanic working on an exhaust system?

A: Master technician David Gerson of GB Auto in Thornhill replies:

At our shop, we use a DeWalt 36-volt cordless reciprocating saw to quickly slice through exhaust pipes.

This pro-grade tool has plenty of strength – even when cutting tough stainless steel pipes.

Eric Lai adds:

The reciprocating saw is also safer than a cutting torch since there's no open flame to worry about.

Do not use an acetylene torch on a motor vehicle if you haven't had proper safety training.

Q: Is it illegal to apply touch-up paint to faded licence plates?

This would make them more visible and avoid having to get new plates.

A: Sgt. Tim Burrows of Toronto Police Traffic Services replies:

This is considered an altered/defaced number plate violation and police may seize the plates and even arrest the user without warrant, if necessary.

All vehicle owners are required by law to ensure their licence plates are not dirty, obscured or obstructed in any way so as to make them unreadable.

If a licence plate has deteriorated to an unreadable state due to age or wear, the owner is expected – and required by law – to purchase a replacement set.

In the case of faded personalized plates, an identical replacement set can be ordered from the ministry.

Eric Lai adds:

Number plates remain the property of the crown and users are not permitted to repaint them.

If this were allowed, we'd soon see all sorts of strange, unofficial shades of paint on Ontario plates.

Email your non-mechanical questions to Eric Lai at wheels@thestar.ca.

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