Tesla has been removed from this week’s Vancouver International Auto Show due to safety concerns, according to event organisers. The decision follows ongoing protests against the automaker and its CEO, Elon Musk.
Eric Nicholl, the executive director of the show, stated that the removal was necessary to ensure the safety of workers, attendees, and exhibitors. He explained that Tesla had been given multiple opportunities to withdraw voluntarily before organisers formally asked the company to step aside. The decision, he added, was made to allow visitors to focus on the event’s positive aspects without disruption.
The Vancouver International Auto Show, held at the Vancouver Convention Centre, is set to begin on Wednesday and will run through Sunday. It has established itself as Western Canada’s most well-attended consumer auto exhibition and one of North America’s premier automotive events. The 2024 edition saw record-breaking attendance, and organisers had promised an exhibition featuring the latest in environmentally focused electric vehicles, lifestyle displays, and commercial vendors.
Tesla’s exclusion comes in the wake of a series of protests known as the “Tesla Takedown,” which took place over the weekend in Ottawa and Metro Vancouver. Demonstrators voiced opposition to Musk’s involvement as an advisor to U.S. President Donald Trump, accusing him of having undue influence in political affairs. On Sunday, a group of about two dozen protesters gathered outside a Tesla dealership in Surrey, British Columbia, following a similar demonstration in Vancouver the previous day. Protesters carried signs with messages such as “Elbows up,” “Elon be-gone,” and “Democracy dies in apathy.”
The automaker’s removal from the auto show coincides with a broader shift in policy by the provincial government. Last week, BC Hydro announced that Tesla products would no longer be eligible for its electric vehicle rebate program. The decision aligns with the province’s move to prioritise Canadian-made goods and limit incentives for U.S. products amid an ongoing trade dispute between Canada and the United States.
Tesla has not publicly commented on its exclusion from the event or the growing tensions surrounding its operations in Canada. The situation highlights the increasing scrutiny faced by the automaker as political and trade issues continue to impact its presence in key markets.
