OTTAWA – As Prime Minister Justin Trudeau tries to make his case that fighting climate change and tackling affordability go hand in hand, the government’s own public opinion research suggests Canadians are worried about how much the transition away from fossil fuels will cost them.
Two recently published reports commissioned by Natural Resources Canada earlier this year explore how Canadians feel about the clean energy shift, as well as their attitudes towards zero-emission vehicles.
Trudeau calls Poilievre’s stance on Chinese EV tariffs ‘baloney’
Prime Minster Justin Trudeau took aim at federal Conservatives on Monday, accusing leader Pierre Poilievre of not supporting investments in the electric vehicle sector.
Trudeau was attending a funding announcement at Goodyear’s tire plant in Napanee, Ont. Goodyear Canada announced it is investing $575 million to expand and modernize the plant with the goal of making it net-zero in less than two decades. The federal government is contributing $44.3 million, while Ontario’s government is kicking in another $20 million.
Trudeau said the plant’s increased capacity will include tires made specifically for electric vehicles.
OTTAWA – Prime Minister Justin Trudeau defended his government’s decision to spend billions attracting electric vehicle manufacturing, arguing some recent slowdowns in the market are just bumps along the road.
“Canada has positioned itself to be a leader in the EV industry and we will continue to be because those are where the jobs are going to be, not just a couple of years from now, but a decade from now, a generation from now,” he said Monday.
Trudeau is a genius ya know.
Zap. You’re electrified!
Welcome to the mantra of major economies around the world. The fight against climate change demands action. That means more electric vehicles, more carbon capture and global initiatives such as the Green Climate Fund, launched to help developing countries accelerate their energy transition. Here at home, Canada’s action on climate change has focused on carbon pricing, clean electricity, public transportation, energy-efficient buildings and innovation. The Liberal government has also committed billions of dollars to electric-vehicle (EV) projects.
Two thousand dollars. That’s how much the typical two-car Ontario family spends on gas taxes every year.
Big numbers can sometimes be hard to process. But the feeling of dread Ontarians get as the gas meter ticks up sure isn’t.
This summer was supposed to be a breakout season for the faltering offshore wind business in the U.S. Instead it may be defined by an ill-timed break.
A large project off the coast of Massachusetts, called Vineyard Wind, remains at a standstill following an accident that dropped a massive turbine blade into the ocean last month and washed chunks of debris onto Nantucket beaches.
The blade broke at the height of summer and at a pivotal moment for the U.S. offshore wind industry, which has struggled with rising costs, political opposition and a wave of canceled and renegotiated contracts. Efforts to launch the sector in the U.S. are considered key to President Biden’s climate aspirations but would be especially vulnerable if former President Donald Trump returns to office.
We don’t know all the inevitable costs for Trudeau’s EV mandate, but everything we do know shows we can’t afford it
Alberta’s energy regulator recently warned people to stop using kitchen appliances because the electricity grid was at risk of blacking out.
Albertans were told to stop cooking on stoves and washing clothes in warm water.
You know, modern life, circa 1955.
The government also told us to not charge electric cars.
If we’re being told to stop using toasters, how are we going to charge our government-mandated EVs?
The potential of tariffs on Chinese electric vehicle imports is being welcomed by the Canadian head of General Motors as major producer BYD looks to enter the market.
“We’re encouraged by the government’s examination of these issues,” said Kristian Aquilina, president of GM Canada.
“Because on the basis of strong competition, a fair playing field, it encourages us to invest heavily, employ deeply.”
Who can blame a carpetbagger for wanting free money?
Junior can let his Chinese pals flood Canada with cheap vehicles undermining the investment of our money in EV tech manufacturing or he can impose tariffs that will likely only delay the inevitable collapse of the EV fad.
To attempt to address the growing issue of ill-mannered electric vehicle owners hogging fast chargers, Electrify America is experimenting with a strict limit at 10 of its busiest charging stations in California.
CNN reports that the growing popularity of electric vehicles has led to a significant increase in demand for public fast charging. However, this demand has also brought to light a frustrating issue for many EV owners: “charger hogs.” These inconsiderate drivers linger at fast chargers, even when their batteries are nearly full, causing long wait times for others in need of a charge.
They’ve gone after single-use plastics, they’ve made a lunge at agricultural fertilizer — and now, the Liberals might be going after clothes.
In July, Environment and Climate Change Canada announced its intent to address “plastic waste and pollution from the textile and apparel sector.” In short, there’s a plan in the works to reduce clothing waste. It’s far too early to know what it will entail, but the consultation documents raise a key concern: will clothes become more expensive?
Fewer than four in 10 Canadians now say they would consider buying an electric vehicle, marking a decline in interest since 2022, according to in-house research conducted by the department of natural resources.
“Canadians hold mixed views on zero-emission vehicles and continue to have a general lack of knowledge about these vehicles,” the report said. When asked, “Have you considered purchasing or leasing a zero-emission vehicle?” only 36 percent of respondents said ‘yes.’
Alberta’s energy regulator recently warned people to stop using kitchen appliances because the electricity grid was at risk of blacking out. Albertans were told to stop cooking on stoves and washing clothes in warm water.
As the colossal fear-mongering operation that has accompanied the obsessive preoccupation with climate change is abandoned by former adherents—an operation that strains credulity with the uneventful passage of time—Canada’s commitment to electric vehicles appears more and more absurd. But we seem at least to have spared ourselves the billions committed in the United States to set up new charging stations for road vehicles, which has so far resulted in only a handful being opened.
Canadians do not see a “clear path forward” on climate programs, question the point of federal regulations and are wary of the cost, new research by the Natural Resources Department said.
There was “too much money spent too soon and too many risks taken,” according to the report.
With floods and wildfires overwhelming municipal infrastructure across Canada these days, is it really a good idea for federal and provincial governments to have earmarked over $52 billion to subsidize the manufacture of electric vehicles and EV batteries?
