URBAN ELECTRIFICATION IS PROCEEDING in Canadian cities and towns, mostly at the smaller scale. Many “off-grid” applications currently dominated by two-stroke gasoline engines are seeing electric competitors in greater use. Chainsaws, augers, mowers, and other powered gardening equipment are examples. Electric bicycles and scooters, skateboards, and unicycles, are becoming ubiquitous.
These developments may be small in terms of overall energy use, but their effects are immediate and positive. These benefits will carry over to larger scale applications. The CNWC supports general and widespread electrification of fossil-fueled applications, and recommends governments ramp up efforts to support this development. The health benefits alone—cleaner air, lower ambient noise—warrant immediate action, for relatively low dollar investments…
