“Mandate the EV, Kill the AC?”—The Canadian Government’s Contradictory Energy Gamble

It’s kind of wild what’s happening up north in Canada right now. The government there has set a rule that by 2026, 20% of all new cars sold have to be electric, and by 2035, every new car should be zero-emission. Sounds great on paper, right? But here’s the kicker: at the same time, places like Ontario and Quebec are warning people they might have to limit using their air conditioners during the summer because the power grid just can’t keep up (CBC News).

So, here’s the big question: if Canada’s electric system can’t even reliably run our AC on a hot day, how in the world are they going to handle millions of electric cars charging every day?

Experts say the grid needs to grow by about 15% to 26% just to handle all those electric cars (Fraser Institute). And that’s before you factor in the chargers, batteries, and upgrades to power lines—especially out in rural areas. But instead of beefing up reliable power sources, Canada’s shutting down nuclear plants and depending more on wind and solar, which aren’t always steady or predictable.

And it’s not just Canada that should be worried. The U.S. is pushing hard for electric vehicles, too. President Biden wanted half of all new cars sold to be electric by 2030 (EPA). But here in America, the power grid isn’t exactly in great shape either—California and Texas have already seen blackouts during peak demand times. The American Society of Civil Engineers even gave the U.S. energy infrastructure a “C-” grade in its latest report (ASCE).

Now, let me be clear—I’m not against better stewardship of our environment. We absolutely need to care for the earth God gave us. But it would be a lot wiser if we thought these big changes through a lot better than this. Pushing massive electric vehicle adoption without making sure the grid can handle it is like building a house without a solid foundation.

Imagine living in a small town where the power is already shaky. Add a bunch of electric cars needing to charge, and suddenly the lights go out or your AC cuts off right when it’s sweltering outside. That’s a real concern for a lot of people.

From a Christian point of view, this just doesn’t make sense. The Bible says, “By wisdom a house is built, and through understanding it is established” (Proverbs 24:3). Governments need to get smart about this. You can’t promise a clean energy future if you can’t even keep the lights on today.

People deserve honest answers. Can we really trust a plan that says we must buy electric cars soon but might not be able to cool our homes during summer heat? If leaders want this green future, they’ve got to invest first in solid, reliable power—like nuclear and hydro—not just trendy, unreliable options.

Until then, these policies feel like experiments on the public, not real solutions.

Sources:

CBC News. “Ontario Heat Warning Prompts Reminder to Conserve Energy.” CBC News, 20 July 2022, www.cbc.ca/news/canada/ontario-heat-warning-energy-demand-1.6523657.

Fraser Institute. Green, Kenneth P., and Ross McKitrick. The Challenges of Electrifying Canada’s Vehicle Fleet. Fraser Institute, 2023, www.fraserinstitute.org.

U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. “Multi-Pollutant Emissions Standards for Model Years 2027 and Later Light-Duty and Medium-Duty Vehicles.” EPA, 2023, www.epa.gov.

American Society of Civil Engineers. 2021 Report Card for America’s Infrastructure. ASCE, 2021, www.infrastructurereportcard.org.