Recording by Bryan McKinnon; Broadcast and text by Roy L Hales.
NDP incumbent Michele Babchuk came to Cortes Island Saturday, October 12, in the second in a series of meet the candidate events organized by the Climate Action Network.
There is not room to unpack close to two hours of fact filled conversation into this half hour, but the full podcast is at the bottom of this page and here are some highlights.
Continue reading Michele Babchuk Meets With Cortes Island Voters
Canada’s National Observer, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter
The B.C. election race officially got underway this week with affordability, housing costs and healthcare already entrenched as top concerns for voters.
Yet the climate crisis still ranks high as an election issue, right after health and pocketbook concerns — ahead of other problems like crime and the toxic drug crisis — and may be the deciding factor for undecided voters at the ballot box.
Continue reading BC election 2024: where do parties stand on climate?
British Columbia is feeling the strain of a rapidly expanding EV market.
On January 11, 2024, BC Hydro stated there are more than 150,000 EVs on the province’’s roads. While It is more difficult to access local data, ICBC figures show that in 2022 there were 11 EVs registered on Cortes Island, 19 in Quathiaski Cove, 172 in Powell River, 190 in Campbell River, 228 in Comox, and 370 in Courtenay.
In addition to being hailed as a partial solution to the climate crisis, an increasing number of drivers find they prefer EVs to gas cars. 96% of the EV owners who responded to a BCAA survey last year stated they found EVs to be more affordable and intend to purchase another in the future.
Continue reading The need for more electricity in an expanding EV marketEditor’s note: The MV Tacheck, which sails between Heriot Bay and Whaletown, has a 200 kW-hr battery bank and is considered BC Ferries’ first ‘hybrid ferry.’ However it was built in 1969 and The Tachek’s primary power source is conventional diesel engines. It is currently scheduled to be replaced by one of the six Island Class hybrid-electric ferries in 2027. BC Ferries CEO Nicolas Jimenez told Cortes Currents that as the infrastructure to go fully electric is not in place, the new ferry will initially have to rely in its diesel engines.
“I would say the technology hasn’t quite caught up to us, but in 20 years, 40 years, 60 years, 80 years, I think that would be a very different proposition. We might have different energy sources like hydrogen (and others) that today aren’t really being explored as viable in this industry, that could be with advances in technology. I think we have to be open minded about the whole thing, but it’s definitely going to be a cleaner, greener future.”
Canada’s National Observer, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter
BC Ferries has launched a bid to build up to seven green flagship vessels but climate groups are urging the company to abandon liquified natural gas to fuel ships and speed electrification of its fleet to reach its emissions targets.
The ferry service recently revealed it has teamed up with a naval architectural firm to develop an early design to replace six large aging vessels and expand capacity on the busiest routes between the mainland and Vancouver Island.
Continue reading BC Ferries urged to chart a new course around LNGEditor’s note: According to Natural Resources Canada, “There are eight liquefied natural gas (LNG) export projects in various stages of development across Canada.” At one point there were 20 proposals in BC alone. One of them was on the old mill site in Campbell River. The most recent post Cortes Currents could find on the web was a Jan 21, 2019 article in the Campbell River Mirror which states a Calgary-based company, Rockyview Resources Inc, purchased the property in May 2016. “Rockyview is an oil and gas exploration firm that aims to build a liquefied natural gas (LNG) export facility at the site, a project dubbed Discovery LNG.” The company’s website is no longer operational and Rockyview Resources Inc was ‘struck off the registry’ of Alberta Corporations on Nov 2, 2017. Discovery LNG is not on Canada’s list of LNG ‘Projects proposed and under construction,’ but it is listed as one of Campbell River’s top 10 municipal taxpayers for 2022 (albeit under a different owner).
By Matteo Cimellaro, Canada’s National Observer, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter
Calls from climate advocates to follow the lead of the United States and pause Canadian liquified natural gas projects face a serious challenge: a promise of economic reconciliation tied to capital and liquified natural gas (LNG) development.
Biden’s move to pause LNG approvals until after the November elections was celebrated by the climate movement in the U.S. and at home. But coastal First Nations leading LNG projects say the facilities will boost their communities’ prosperity. With industry partners, Haisla Nation is developing Cedar LNG and Ksi Lisims is proposed by the Nisga’a.
Continue reading Eyes turn to B.C. as U.S. pauses approval of LNG projects
