Thoughts on BC Politics and More

Confidential government deals worth billions of dollars to help fund a Stellantis-backed electric vehicle battery plant in Windsor, Ont., carry dozens of conditions that, if violated, give federal officials the power to end the agreements and even force repayment in some cases, according to copies obtained by CBC Windsor. It is unclear, however, if the contracts contain guarantees related to the company’s broader footprint in Canada, as elected officials have claimed. Some portions of the documents are redacted, so the full terms of the agreements are unknown ... CLICK HERE for the full story 

According to a November 28, 2024 Global News story, BC Hydro imported one quarter of the provinces power needs in the 12 previous months . The story stated that for the fiscal year ending March 2024, BC Hydro imported 13,600 gigawatt hours of electricity at a cost of nearly $1.4 billion. Still, Clean Energy Canada (a climate and clean energy program within the Morris J. Wosk Centre for Dialogue at Simon Fraser University) wants us to believe that : B.C.’s electricity grid can handle increased demand from EVs, heat pumps and extreme weather events ... AND THAT ... recent claims to the contrary are not based in reality. Here's the thing though, according to the Government of BC the recent call, for new renewable energy projects, will provide less than 5,000 gigawatts of power per year (just over a third of what we imported in fiscal year 2024).  That power of course flowing only once construction is completed, and starts flowing into BC Hydro’s system. The fact is, BC Hydro has bee...

According to a mandate from the British Columbia government, 90 per cent of new vehicle sales in the province must be electric by 2030 and 100 per cent must be electric by 2035. This is impractical. The provincial government stands to lose hundreds of millions in revenue. Not only is it subsidizing electric vehicle (EV) purchases, but it will also forfeit significant income from fuel taxes, which could amount to nearly $1 billion annually. Attempting to recover these losses with a per-kilometre-driven tax on EVs would likely result in a backlash from owners and discourage new buyers ... CLICK HERE for the full story

Ottawa has unveiled new regulations for all electric vehicles (EVs) in Canada. At a press conference on Tuesday, Environment and Climate Change Minister Steven Guilbeault announced new standards that he says will provide more affordable EVs and more charging stations. The federal government had previously announced that all vehicles sold in the country must emit zero emissions by 2035. Tuesday’s announcement clarified the schedule for the regulations, who is affected by them, and how the carmakers can comply ... CLICK HERE for the full story

The electric car will not whisk us towards an ever growing yet greener future. If governments were truly serious about reducing emissions, I have argued, they would celebrate walking and subsidize bicycles instead of $70,000 vehicles for the rich. They would improve public transportation and make our cities walkable again. And, bottom line, they would help us imagine a livable economy that uses less energy of every source, not more ... CLICK HERE for the full opinion piece