Roy L Hales/ Cortes Currents - 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. 

There are currently about 5,000 EV chargers in the province and Clean BC set a goal of 10,000 chargers by 2030. 

A report by Energy Futures suggests that four times this number may be needed.

There will also be a need for more electrical generation to service the new electric vehicles. 

BC Hydro states, “We're predicting there will be around 330,000 EVs on B.C. roads by 2030. This is estimated to add an additional 1,000 gigawatt hours (GWh) of electricity load per year.”

To which the Energy Futures report responds, “Meeting the minimum new vehicle sales targets will require approximately 2,700 GWh of added electricity by 2030, about half the annual production of the Site C Dam. By 2040, this requirement will grow to 9,700 GWh or equivalent to two Site C Dams.” 

Image credit: Screenshot from CleanBC website

Cortes Currents

The need more electricity in an expanding EV market

Roy L Hales/Cortes Currents - One of the most popular presentations at RIEP’s 2025 Virtual forum was Former Green Party MLA Adam Olsen’s identification of ways to further support the success of BC’s Indigenous economy.

Francine Carlin, Chair of the Rural Island Economic Partnership (RIEP) introduced Olsen, “ Adam is a proud member of the Tsartlip Nation. He currently serves as the lead negotiator for the Tsartlip, representing the nation's interests on land and resource management, governance and the treaty land entitlement process. His leadership and negotiation plays a crucial role and advancing the nation's rights and self determination, Adam's expertise of bridging gaps between environmental concerns, indigenous rights and sustainable development makes him a true champion of the greater good.”

Adam Olsen: “ÍY ȻEĆIL. SȾHENEP TŦE NE SNÁ. ĆSE LÁ,E SEN ET W̱SÁNEC LÁ,E ET W̱JOȽEȽP ÁLEṈ. ZȺWIZUT TŦE NE MÁN. ZIȻOT E TELX̱ILEM TŦE NE SILE.” 

“My name is SȾHENEP (Adam Olsen) I am W̱SÁNEĆ from the Tsartlip village. My father is ZȺWIZUT (Carl Olsen) and my late grandparents are ZIȻOT (Laura Olsen) and TELX̱ILEM (Ernie Olsen).” 

“It’s an honour to be here working from my home. I want to acknowledge the territories of my relatives throughout the straights from south of the San Juan islands through Southern Gulf islands, through to the islands in the Northern straights. These spaces have been stewarded by my relatives and our ancestors  since time immemorial.  I raise my hands to the organizers, the brains and muscles of the Rural Islands Economic Partnership (RIEP).”

“I've always appreciated how you've kept the economic well being of the rural islands centered in your work. At this moment, we're all facing extraordinary economic times. We're confused by the actions of our neighbour, concerned about the future of this territory, and  because it is unprecedented, it's difficult to visualize and plan for what may be next.”

“Whatever may unfold in the next few weeks and months, I believe our short, medium, and long term success is contingent on the resilience of our relationships with each other.  While some celebrate this term economic reconciliation, I argue that this catchy little phrase remains incomplete to our collective responsibility to First Nations and to our own Canadian identity.” 

“Reconciliation cannot be selective. It must be comprehensive addressing land governance and economic sovereignty together.  It is important to ground our discussion today in the fact that for the state niche, the rural islands that we know as the Gulf islands today.  The San Juan Islands are our relatives.” 


RIEP Presentation_ Identifying Ways To Further Support The Success Of BC’s Indigenous economy_

Roy L Hales/ Cortes Currents - While she recognizes DRIPA as a valuable document, MLA Anna Kindy recently informed the SRD Board that she does not support ‘article 26.’ The topic came up when she took part in the May 26 Board meeting. 

Kindy began by stating, “ Part of the reason I'm here is to actually learn how things are run.  I'm not going to pretend I know everything, far from it.  It's a steep learning curve, but my motivation is to truly represent my constituents. I ran for a party, but I'm apolitical now that I am an MLA,  I just look at issues separately and try to bring people's voices to the legislature, to whoever it needs to be brought to.  I'm not a public speaker by nature, but I do answer questions very readily, so I'm just going to pass it over to you guys if you have any questions."

Regional Director Mark Vonesch, of Cortes Island, responded,  “My question is about Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous People's Act (DRIPA). During the election, your leader spoke about dropping it and since then, members of your party have denied the graves that have been found in some residential schools. That's raised a lot of concern and I'm just wondering if you could comment on that.”

Anna Kindy:  “Okay, first of all, let's go back to the first question, DRIPA. You have to look at unintended consequences of every bill that passes. UNDRIP is from the United Nation and we are the only, and I will repeat the only jurisdiction worldwide that has adopted it word per word (as DRIPA).”

“Most of DRIPA is fine, I'm a hundred percent for economic reconciliation. What we've done is terrible and we need to reconcile what we've done. It's about treaties, it's about economic reconciliation. What DRIPA does, if you look at section 26,  there's a question of what will be the private property rights of every British Columbian.”

Article 26
1. Indigenous peoples have the right to the lands, territories and resources which they have traditionally owned, occupied or otherwise used or acquired.
2. Indigenous peoples have the right to own, use, develop and control the lands, territories and resources that they possess by reason of traditional ownership or other traditional occupation or use, as well as those which they have otherwise acquired.
3. States shall give legal recognition and protection to these lands, territories and resources. Such recognition shall be conducted with due respect to the customs, traditions and land tenure systems of the Indigenous peoples concerned.
Anna KIndy:  “The entire aspect of crown land will be under the jurisdiction of 4% of the population potentially to make decisions and I am of the opinion that we all have equal rights. We are all Canadian.” 

“Economic reconciliation means that we need to make sure that we lift First Nations out of poverty.  In this region, what that means is to support industries that are lifting them out of poverty. I'm an addiction doctor. If you look at the GNN nation (Gwa’sala-’Nakwaxda’xw Nations), they had 10 or 11 overdoses and suicides in a two month period in 2024. So this is urgent, I don't talk about semantics.”

“The issue is section 26. This is in a democracy and we're an equal society, we all should have the same rights.” 


Anna Kindy explains why she does not endorse part of DRIPA and more

Cortes Currents is a news platform that asks what's current in Cortes and the Discovery Islands. Web articles & radio podcasts: Cortes Island, Quadra Island, Discovery Islands, Campbell River: news, lifestyle, local politics, affordable housing, economy, food security, health, ferries, tourism, history,  culture, environmental issues, sustainable forestry, oyster farming, the arts, First Nations, energy, climate change, overshoot

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