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David Raymond Amos @DavidRayAmos
Replying to @DavidRayAmos @alllibertynews and 49 others
Methinks Mikey Holland and his boss Higgy should learn to answer their emails Now and then the government computers they play with are ethical enough to respond N'esy Pas?
https://davidraymondamos3.blogspot.com/2020/02/province-isnt-close-to-hitting-its.html
#nbpoli#cdnpoli
https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/new-brunswick/new-brunswick-electric-vehicle-target-missed-1.5453292
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The New Brunswick government set a target of having 2,500 electric vehicles on roads by 2020. Today, there are only 429 registered. (REUTERS/Lucy Nicholson )
New Brunswick won't reach its target for the adoption of electric vehicles this year, falling short of even one-fifth of the goal laid out in its climate change action plan.
Officials from the Department of Natural Resources and Energy Development said the province won't come anywhere near the objective of getting 2,500 electric vehicles on the roads in 2020.
"Unfortunately we're not going to meet that," said Bill Breckenridge, the assistant deputy minister for energy and mines. "We only have 429 registered now, as of the end of last year."
Breckenridge was testifying before the legislature's all-party committee on climate change and environmental stewardship.
He said the cars, which don't use any greenhouse-gas-emitting fuel but operate on rechargeable batteries, are so far proving too expensive for most drivers.
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New Brunswick officials are hopeful Ottawa will extend its rebate program to help offset the cost of purchasing an electric vehicle. (Jonathan Hayward/Canadian Press)
"We're optimistic that as the technology evolves, the price is going to start to come down," he said. "For the average New Brunswicker, as you know they're quite expensive. The long-term operation is very beneficial. They don't have much servicing."
He added that a possible extension of federal rebates could help.
Ottawa is providing $5,000 rebates, but since last May, consumers have already used up almost half of the $300 million total budgeted over three years. Federal Transport Minister Marc Garneau said last month he could extend the program to cover used electric cars.
The provincial target of 2,500 electric vehicles was set in the climate plan developed by the previous Liberal government in 2016. Progressive Conservative Premier Blaine Higgs adopted the plan and its goals after taking office in 2018.
During the committee session, the department's deputy minister Tom MacFarlane acknowledged that his department doesn't have a single electric vehicle in its entire fleet.
"Electrical vehicles are fairly expensive and fairly pricey, and even with rebates, it's a challenge to purchase, even for government, an electric vehicle when you compare it to the cost of our traditional vehicles," he said.
Later in the day, officials from the Department of Transportation and Infrastructure told the committee there is no target for using more electric vehicles in the government fleet, and many departments use heavier vehicles or trucks with no electric version available.
The previous Liberal government bought two electric school buses as part of a pilot project. Last year PC Education Minister Dominic Cardy opted to buy 16 propane-powered buses as part of a new pilot project.
According to federal data, light-duty gasoline cars emitted 810,000 tonnes of greenhouse gases in New Brunswick in 2017, or 5.6 percent of all provincial emissions.
Light-duty gasoline trucks represented another 1.1 million tonnes and total emissions for road transportation were more than 3 million tonnes.
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Environment Minister Jeff Carr was among the government officials Wednesday blaming the prohibitive cost of electric vehicles for missing the 2020 goal. (CBC)
Environment Minister Jeff Carr, who chose a gas-battery hybrid from the government fleet as his ministerial car when he was sworn in, said the high cost of fully electric cars is still a barrier for most consumers.
"I think people want to go there. … I can see myself at some point in time, when I can afford one and one becomes more readily available, jumping at the chance to own one."
He said one possible use of the revenue from the province's new carbon tax on consumers, which will replace the federal version Apr. 1, would be additional incentives for electric cars.
Breckenridge told the committee of MLAs that establishing more charging stations for electric vehicles will also make drivers more willing to buy them.
The province now has 134 Level Two stations, 28 "fast" stations and 48 "super-charger" stations for Tesla cars, he said.
"We think by investing in infrastructure, with the federal incentive, hopefully the technology keeps evolving and the price comes down [and] we'll hopefully be doing better and make our target for 2030." That target is 20,000 vehicles.
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The province now has 134 Level Two stations, 28 “fast” stations and 48 super-charger stations for Tesla cars. Pictured above is a Tesla charging station in Nova Scotia. (Don Campbell/The Herald-Palladium/Canadian Press/AP)
NB Power has rolled out a network of charging stations that hasn't attracted the expected revenues because of lower-than-expected sales of electric cars.
The Energy and Utilities Board ordered the utility to stop the program because it was outside its mandate and the private sector was just as capable of providing the stations.
But earlier this month NB Power filed an expert report with the Energy and Utilities Board that argued even more charging stations would "nudge" more consumers to buy electric cars.
MacFarlane also acknowledged Tuesday that more than three years after the release of the climate change plan, his department still hasn't developed a strategy to meet New Brunswick's legislated emission targets for 2050.
Green party leader David Coon said a strategy is needed to guide the department's decisions in setting energy policies that keep the province on track for those targets.
"It is one of the tasks we're working on, to develop an energy strategy," MacFarlane said.
"That's work that has certainly only been initiated or started and we're trying to put the elements of that work together, but I think as you can appreciate, it's a fairly extensive effort to do such a thing."
Liberal environment critic Andrew Harvey said the strategy should be in place by now. "It's long enough. The current government has been there roughly 14 months, and they say they're working on it, but time will tell."
David Amos
Methinks Minister Mikey Holland and his boss Higgy really should learn to answer their emails N'esy Pas?
"Methinks all the usual suspects should quit complaining about NB Power and the government etc and do something. At least my friend Roger Richard ran for public office and intervened in several EUB matters just like I did. There is a PUBLIC EUB Hearing going on in Saint John right now. Why not attend? At the very least clever crybabies parked in front of computers should go to the EUB website and download the transcript in order to read what my friend said yesterday before the board on behalf of ordinary folks such as I N'esy Pas? "
David Amos
Methinks I will have to make a few calls again N'esy Pas?
David Amos
Matt Steele
N.B. has been deemed to be the POOREST province in Canada ; it is doubtful that many N.B.ers have money to spend on electric cars when they are having a hard time paying taxes , and keeping a roof over their head . Welcome to N.B. ; Canada's ONLY OFFICIALLY BILINGUAL province , and FAILED social experiment .
Marguerite Deschamps
Bunch of hippos! They do not want to promote electric vehicles.
David Amos
David Amos
Surprise Surprise Surprise
Alex Butt
Of course this is yet another New Brunswick failure. Anyone should be able to see that with the high purchase price of an EV, the ridiculously high and unreliable price for electricity we pay, the cost of a home charger with installation, the cold weather (causing reduced useful driving distance) and the fact NB power loved and wanted to increase charging stations ALL lead to the simple fact that they will never be a smart or economical choice!
Terry Tibbs
Tell me please, supposing I have a pocket full of cash, where in NB can I buy a new fully electric car, and drive it home?
David Raymond Amos @DavidRayAmos
Replying to @DavidRayAmos @alllibertynews and 49 others
Methinks Mikey Holland and his boss Higgy should learn to answer their emails Now and then the government computers they play with are ethical enough to respond N'esy Pas?
https://davidraymondamos3.blogspot.com/2020/02/province-isnt-close-to-hitting-its.html
https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/new-brunswick/new-brunswick-electric-vehicle-target-missed-1.5453292
Province isn't close to hitting its electric vehicle target, and officials blame expense
Province set 2020 goal of having 2,500 electric vehicles on the roads
· CBC News· Posted: Feb 05, 2020 5:53 PM AT
The New Brunswick government set a target of having 2,500 electric vehicles on roads by 2020. Today, there are only 429 registered. (REUTERS/Lucy Nicholson )
New Brunswick won't reach its target for the adoption of electric vehicles this year, falling short of even one-fifth of the goal laid out in its climate change action plan.
Officials from the Department of Natural Resources and Energy Development said the province won't come anywhere near the objective of getting 2,500 electric vehicles on the roads in 2020.
"Unfortunately we're not going to meet that," said Bill Breckenridge, the assistant deputy minister for energy and mines. "We only have 429 registered now, as of the end of last year."
Breckenridge was testifying before the legislature's all-party committee on climate change and environmental stewardship.
He said the cars, which don't use any greenhouse-gas-emitting fuel but operate on rechargeable batteries, are so far proving too expensive for most drivers.
New Brunswick officials are hopeful Ottawa will extend its rebate program to help offset the cost of purchasing an electric vehicle. (Jonathan Hayward/Canadian Press)
"We're optimistic that as the technology evolves, the price is going to start to come down," he said. "For the average New Brunswicker, as you know they're quite expensive. The long-term operation is very beneficial. They don't have much servicing."
He added that a possible extension of federal rebates could help.
Ottawa is providing $5,000 rebates, but since last May, consumers have already used up almost half of the $300 million total budgeted over three years. Federal Transport Minister Marc Garneau said last month he could extend the program to cover used electric cars.
Too pricey for government
The provincial target of 2,500 electric vehicles was set in the climate plan developed by the previous Liberal government in 2016. Progressive Conservative Premier Blaine Higgs adopted the plan and its goals after taking office in 2018.
During the committee session, the department's deputy minister Tom MacFarlane acknowledged that his department doesn't have a single electric vehicle in its entire fleet.
"Electrical vehicles are fairly expensive and fairly pricey, and even with rebates, it's a challenge to purchase, even for government, an electric vehicle when you compare it to the cost of our traditional vehicles," he said.
Later in the day, officials from the Department of Transportation and Infrastructure told the committee there is no target for using more electric vehicles in the government fleet, and many departments use heavier vehicles or trucks with no electric version available.
The previous Liberal government bought two electric school buses as part of a pilot project. Last year PC Education Minister Dominic Cardy opted to buy 16 propane-powered buses as part of a new pilot project.
According to federal data, light-duty gasoline cars emitted 810,000 tonnes of greenhouse gases in New Brunswick in 2017, or 5.6 percent of all provincial emissions.
Light-duty gasoline trucks represented another 1.1 million tonnes and total emissions for road transportation were more than 3 million tonnes.
Environment Minister Jeff Carr was among the government officials Wednesday blaming the prohibitive cost of electric vehicles for missing the 2020 goal. (CBC)
Environment Minister Jeff Carr, who chose a gas-battery hybrid from the government fleet as his ministerial car when he was sworn in, said the high cost of fully electric cars is still a barrier for most consumers.
"I think people want to go there. … I can see myself at some point in time, when I can afford one and one becomes more readily available, jumping at the chance to own one."
He said one possible use of the revenue from the province's new carbon tax on consumers, which will replace the federal version Apr. 1, would be additional incentives for electric cars.
Breckenridge told the committee of MLAs that establishing more charging stations for electric vehicles will also make drivers more willing to buy them.
NB Power argues for more charging stations
The province now has 134 Level Two stations, 28 "fast" stations and 48 "super-charger" stations for Tesla cars, he said.
"We think by investing in infrastructure, with the federal incentive, hopefully the technology keeps evolving and the price comes down [and] we'll hopefully be doing better and make our target for 2030." That target is 20,000 vehicles.
The province now has 134 Level Two stations, 28 “fast” stations and 48 super-charger stations for Tesla cars. Pictured above is a Tesla charging station in Nova Scotia. (Don Campbell/The Herald-Palladium/Canadian Press/AP)
NB Power has rolled out a network of charging stations that hasn't attracted the expected revenues because of lower-than-expected sales of electric cars.
The Energy and Utilities Board ordered the utility to stop the program because it was outside its mandate and the private sector was just as capable of providing the stations.
But earlier this month NB Power filed an expert report with the Energy and Utilities Board that argued even more charging stations would "nudge" more consumers to buy electric cars.
Green party leader David Coon said a strategy is needed to guide the department's decisions in setting energy policies that keep the province on track for those targets.
"It is one of the tasks we're working on, to develop an energy strategy," MacFarlane said.
"That's work that has certainly only been initiated or started and we're trying to put the elements of that work together, but I think as you can appreciate, it's a fairly extensive effort to do such a thing."
Liberal environment critic Andrew Harvey said the strategy should be in place by now. "It's long enough. The current government has been there roughly 14 months, and they say they're working on it, but time will tell."
94 Comments
Commenting is now closed for this story.David Amos
Methinks Minister Mikey Holland and his boss Higgy really should learn to answer their emails N'esy Pas?
David Amos
Content disabled
Reply to @David Amos: Methinks certain people are aware that I made a few calls and emailed this as well N'esy Pas? "Methinks all the usual suspects should quit complaining about NB Power and the government etc and do something. At least my friend Roger Richard ran for public office and intervened in several EUB matters just like I did. There is a PUBLIC EUB Hearing going on in Saint John right now. Why not attend? At the very least clever crybabies parked in front of computers should go to the EUB website and download the transcript in order to read what my friend said yesterday before the board on behalf of ordinary folks such as I N'esy Pas? "
David Amos
Methinks I will have to make a few calls again N'esy Pas?
David Amos
Content disabled
Methinks all the usual suspects should quit complaining about NB Power and the government etc and do something. At least my friend Roger Richard ran for public office and intervened in several EUB matters just like I did. There is a PUBLIC EUB Hearing going on in Saint John right now. Why not attend? At the very least clever crybabies parked in front of computers should go to the EUB website and download the transcript in order to read what my friend said yesterday before the board on behalf of ordinary folks such as I N'esy Pas? Matt Steele
N.B. has been deemed to be the POOREST province in Canada ; it is doubtful that many N.B.ers have money to spend on electric cars when they are having a hard time paying taxes , and keeping a roof over their head . Welcome to N.B. ; Canada's ONLY OFFICIALLY BILINGUAL province , and FAILED social experiment .
Marguerite Deschamps
Reply to @Matt Steele: Big Do Me!
David Amos
Reply to @Marguerite Deschamps: Methinks there is not a soul on the planet that would want to N'esy Pas?
Marguerite Deschamps
Bunch of hippos! They do not want to promote electric vehicles.
David Amos
Reply to @Marguerite Deschamps: Cry me a river
David Amos
Surprise Surprise Surprise
Terry Tibbs
Reply to @David Amos:
Surprised? It's just our illustrious government blowing smoke up our backsides.
Surprised? It's just our illustrious government blowing smoke up our backsides.
David Amos
Reply to @Terry Tibbs: Methinks Gomer Pyle should explain to you that expression N'esy Pas?
Terry Tibbs
Reply to @David Amos:
To blow smoke up someone’s backside means to insincerely compliment someone to get something from them or get them to do something; to manipulate someone with flattery; to exaggerate about something in order to make it seem better than it is.
To blow smoke up someone’s backside means to insincerely compliment someone to get something from them or get them to do something; to manipulate someone with flattery; to exaggerate about something in order to make it seem better than it is.
David Amos
Reply to @Terry Tibbs: Gomer never said that
Alex Butt
Of course this is yet another New Brunswick failure. Anyone should be able to see that with the high purchase price of an EV, the ridiculously high and unreliable price for electricity we pay, the cost of a home charger with installation, the cold weather (causing reduced useful driving distance) and the fact NB power loved and wanted to increase charging stations ALL lead to the simple fact that they will never be a smart or economical choice!
Terry Tibbs
Reply to @Alex Butt:
What's behind door #2 Alex?
I believe, in time, electric cars will work for us, but that time is not yet.
What's behind door #2 Alex?
I believe, in time, electric cars will work for us, but that time is not yet.
David Amos
Reply to @Terry Tibbs: I would love to have one right now but my Old Age Pension does not permit me to own such things
Terry Tibbs
Reply to @David Amos:
There are none available, they are in short supply, and any available are being sent to provinces with provincial rebates (Quebec and BC). You can order one and wait 6 months if you like. Personally, I would like to buy a VW ID Buzz, but not 1st year production, I'll wait until the bugs are out of them.
There are none available, they are in short supply, and any available are being sent to provinces with provincial rebates (Quebec and BC). You can order one and wait 6 months if you like. Personally, I would like to buy a VW ID Buzz, but not 1st year production, I'll wait until the bugs are out of them.
David Amos
Reply to @Terry Tibbs: Why should I care that you have more money than I?
Terry Tibbs
Reply to @David Amos:
It's not a matter of money. I figure, the way things are going, you will not be able to afford not to, so, like it, or not, if you want to drive it will be either mopeds, or electric vehicles.
It's not a matter of money. I figure, the way things are going, you will not be able to afford not to, so, like it, or not, if you want to drive it will be either mopeds, or electric vehicles.
David Spenner
Reply to @Alex Butt: I’m assuming you don’t really believe what you wrote. Let’s talk about this again in 8 years, 640k of ram is enough for anyone! Betting against technology is a losing proposition and the world doesn’t revolve around NB and its policies. EV’s will dominate.
Alex Butt
Reply to @David Spenner: I absolutely believe what I wrote and do actually love technology and EV's, but they are not practical here, as they are hugely overpriced and not as green as people think. We have one at work, and after a couple of years it sits parked almost all the time as we can not even get one day out of the charge. In addition NB has dirty electricity and is VERY expensive and unreliable and that will NEVER change in this province!
Terry Tibbs
Reply to @Alex Butt:
Funny you should mention that. At one point the claim was battery degradation of 7-10% a year, but all has been silent lately. I know they claim to be adjusting battery chemistry, so it seems to be, at least, not talked about any more. Maybe a prudent buyer would closely inspect the warranty before buying?
I *think* a wise fellow would hold onto his cash for a few more years and wait to see how it all shakes out. That is my intention.
Funny you should mention that. At one point the claim was battery degradation of 7-10% a year, but all has been silent lately. I know they claim to be adjusting battery chemistry, so it seems to be, at least, not talked about any more. Maybe a prudent buyer would closely inspect the warranty before buying?
I *think* a wise fellow would hold onto his cash for a few more years and wait to see how it all shakes out. That is my intention.
Fred Brewer
Reply to @Terry Tibbs: None available? That's funny. My friend ordered his online had it delivered to his door within 4 weeks.
David Amos
Reply to @Terry Tibbs: Methinks it High Time the RCMP got my Ood Harley back for me and charged somebody for stealing it N'esy Pas?
Jonathan Comeau
Reply to @Alex Butt: Do you believe electricity prices are more volatile that gas prices? Buying an EV has been one of the smartest decision I've made in my life. It has been our only vehicle for almost 2.5 years and is incredible in winter. Fully charged and warm every morning with more than enough range for our daily needs. Economical? Up-front not yet but over the long haul, absolutely.
David Amos
Reply to @Fred Brewer: Its kinda disgusting having to read you wealthy dudes brag about your wheels. Methinks I can always employ the mute function if I wish N'esy Pas?
Terry Tibbs
Tell me please, supposing I have a pocket full of cash, where in NB can I buy a new fully electric car, and drive it home?
David Amos
Reply to @Terry Tibbs: FYI My son lives in California which is where Tesla's are made. A few months ago he bought a new one but they are so popular that there was none in his State to be had so he had to wait a month for them get him one off a dealer's floor in Los Vegas
Fred Brewer
Reply to @Terry Tibbs: And if you wanted to buy a vehicle with an uncommon combination of options, how many months would you wait for Ford or GM to build and ship you one? I have been told on some occasions that I would have to wait for a year for a custom ordered ICE vehicle. With an EV you can order online and have one delivered to your specs within a matter of weeks.
Jonathan Comeau
Reply to @Terry Tibbs: A Tesla gets delivered to your door. Delivery is included in the price. Concerned about test driving one first? A nearby owner will gladly take you for a spin.
David Amos
Reply to @Fred Brewer: Methinks you do go on and on but enough is enough about your knowledge of fancy wheels N'esy Pas?