BRITISH COLUMBIA

A plan for the future

Last week saw B.C. take a bold step toward reducing oil and gas emissions in the province. As Clean Energy Canada’s Mark Zacharias said in a statement, “Today’s announcement signals a new direction for B.C.’s economy—one that aligns with our closest trading partners and neighbours in Washington, Oregon, and California.”

The province revealed the framework for a new cap on oil and gas emissions (which includes LNG facilities) and a requirement that proposed new LNG projects pass an emissions test and include a plan to be net zero by 2030, effectively closing the door on new developments that cannot fit into B.C.’s climate targets. It's an important move for both B.C.’s emissions and its future economic competitiveness. After all, a decarbonizing world will want a lot less oil and gas, and (according to the International Energy Agency) many of the LNG facilities currently under construction or at the planning stage will simply not be required in a world that meets its climate targets. As Mark told Reuters, “The B.C. roadmap to 2030 is probably North America's strongest climate plan, but what was missing until now was answers on dealing with oil and gas. This fills in the missing gap.” 

The announcement also included plans for a new Clean Energy and Major Projects Office to focus on economic opportunities that will be growing in future decades. There was a welcome focus on electrification, including a new task force, that will be key as the province electrifies more of its homes, vehicles, and businesses. As Mark’s statement concludes, “it is vital that public money is spent supporting and growing companies and industries that will thrive in the future. Going forward, we hope B.C. will no longer subsidize sunsetting fossil fuel sectors.”

Big battery news 

Last week also saw a huge breakthrough for Canada’s ambition to become a global hub of EV battery manufacturing. German automaker Volkswagen announced it would build its first North American battery cell manufacturing plant in Ontario, citing Canada’s “local supply of raw materials and wide access to clean electricity.” The announcement means that Canada isn’t just retaining existing automakers for EV operations, but is actively attracting big international companies. The decision follows a year of efforts from the federal government to woo the automaker, and it’s currently unknown what sealed the deal. Regardless, it’s a massive win for Canada in the face of big incentives being doled out to prospective EV makers in the U.S. The news comes as Volkwagen added another EV to its repertoire: the ID.2. It’s the company’s most affordable EV yet, but the small car won’t be available in SUV-loving North America. And in other European car-making news, BMW expects to smash its 50% EV sales goal well before its 2030 deadline.

The fire is lit

While Canada has secured one big win in the global clean economic race, the America’s Inflation Reduction Act continues to apply pressure to Canadian decision makers ahead of the budget. As Clean Energy Canada’s Merran Smith told CBC, the act has “rocked the global balance of power and it has lit a fire under all of the countries… Some people are calling this the next industrial revolution.” Pundits point out that Canada cannot (and should not) compete dollar-for-dollar with the U.S.’s mighty incentives, but a strategic focus that plays to our strengths (like our relatively clean electricity grid and mining resources) can still attract big investments. 

The week’s EV progress

This Bloomberg story breaks down North America’s uptick in EV manufacturing capabilities, pointing out that battery EVs made up 7% of North American car productions at the end of 2022, up from 4.7% the year before. With more EVs rolling off the line, the whole supply chain is doing an electric pivot. Michelin just announced it would invest $140 million to modernize its Nova Scotia plant to produce tires for electric vehicles. In other EV news, Quebec added 367 new charging stations, and the City of Regina received federal dollars to help buy 26 new electric buses.

Make money with your roof

The City of Saskatoon has launched a new solar mapping tool to help homeowners assess their home’s sunny potential. The new tool uses data from Google Maps and Google's Project Sunroof to estimate how much money residents could save over 25 years by installing rooftop solar. 

Nunavut connections

The Inuit-owned Nukik Corporation has “big dreams” for the territory’s first infrastructure link to southern Canada. The company is aiming to build a 1,200-kilometre power and fibre optic line that would bring hydropower and high-speed internet from northeastern Manitoba to five towns in Nunavut. As Corporate Knights puts it, “Led by the Inuit themselves, the project represents an opportunity for true reconciliation with Indigenous people who are often forgotten by southern Canadians.”

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