Electric Vehicles: Why is Manitoba so far behind other provinces which use primarily hydroelectric power?

 On Tuesday May 31, Cindy Lamoureux, Liberal MLA for Tyndall Park, asked the government why is our province so far behind in electric vehicle purchases compared to other provinces which rely primarily on hydroelectric power.   There is a distinct advantage for Manitoba, as a province relying primarily on hydroelectric power, to push the purchase and use of electric vehicles.   Not only does it help reduce greenhouse gas production, but it also means we are  purchasing and using more of our own hydroelectric power - giving an extra push for our own economy.   The sad truth is that the Conservative government in Manitoba has done very little to help make using electric vehicles more attractive in Manitoba, compared to the efforts of British Columbia and Quebec. 

Electric Vehicle Purchases
Promotion and Use

Ms. Cindy Lamoureux (Tyndall Park): Provinces with primarily hydroelectric power are most effective in reducing emissions with electric vehicles. BC and Quebec have realized this, with 17.1 per cent and 13.6 per cent, respectively, of new purchased vehicles being electric. That's why it's so disappointing that Manitoba is only at 2.4 per cent of new electric vehicles being purchased, and I table a report that demon­strates this, right now.

      Why is Manitoba so far behind other provinces on meaningful climate change initiatives, and what is this gov­ern­ment going to do to promote the use of electric vehicles?

Hon. Jeff Wharton (Minister of Environment, Climate and Parks): I certainly ap­pre­ciate the question from the member. And we are looking very forward to working with the federal gov­ern­ment, parti­cularly on moving forward with funding models to ensure that we can start to move faster, Madam Speaker.

      We know 2030 is just around the corner; 2050 will be here before we know it. We know there's a lot of work to do, Madam Speaker, in this space. We are committed to it as a gov­ern­ment. We will be–we'll be moving forward with our plans, and I offer that mem­ber to come and sit with us so we can work in a partisan way–non-partisan way to ensure we can move forward with electric vehicles right here in Manitoba.