Sharing the road is always considered good driver etiquette. But not apparently if you’re a New Brunswick cabinet minister — and the environment boss to boot. .That’s because the New Brunswick government is being accused of hogging 25% of the province’s fast EV charging capacity, including a $150,000 private unit for Environment Minister Gary Crossman in front of his Marysville Place parking spot in the provincial capital..‘Herringchokers’ Or ‘NewBees,’ as New Brunswick residents call themselves, were rightly choked and took to Reddit to air their grievances. One noted the government could have installed more than a dozen so-called ‘Level 2’ chargers for the price of one fast dual-current unit..“Charging for me, not for thee,” wrote one zinger.. EV chargerEnvironment Minister Gary Crossman‘S EV charger Message. .“That's a DC fast charger,” added another. “Even mega rich people don't have their own private DCFC. What is this guy's problem?”.The irony is government officials have identified the lack of charging capacity as a main barrier for EV uptake in the province to replace internal combustion cars by 2030..According to online EV charger app PlugShare, there are only four fast chargers in all of Fredericton, including Crossman’s. A Level 2 — or slow charger — takes hours to charge compared to 30 to 45 minutes for the DCFC.."If we're going to achieve our goals and if we're going to have the ability for EV vehicles to become part of the mainstream mode of transportation in our province, we need to address the infrastructure," deputy energy minister Tom McFarlane told MLAs earlier this month..The province’s Progressive Conservative government is facing an uphill battle to get re-elected when it faces a fixed election date in October, 2024. .According to Angus Reid, Premier Blaine Higgs is tied for the lowest approval rating of all Canadian premiers, alongside Manitoba’s Heather Stefanson at around 25%. He’s also facing a caucus revolt among half a dozen MLAs who want him to retire and immediately call an election..Back on Reddit, users said the charging issue is a glaring example of the “entitlement” of the ruling party..“You can’t make this stuff up. The charger costs $150,000 and is placed in front of the parking spot reserved for the Minister for Environment and Climate Change, for his exclusive use,” wrote one user under the handle ‘Moirende’..“This is the new green order the environmentalists are creating for us in a nutshell: the elite get private charging stations on the public dime for their well-above-average cost electric vehicles, while everyone else gets to figure out how they’re going to afford to heat their homes and put food on the table for their families.”
Sharing the road is always considered good driver etiquette. But not apparently if you’re a New Brunswick cabinet minister — and the environment boss to boot. .That’s because the New Brunswick government is being accused of hogging 25% of the province’s fast EV charging capacity, including a $150,000 private unit for Environment Minister Gary Crossman in front of his Marysville Place parking spot in the provincial capital..‘Herringchokers’ Or ‘NewBees,’ as New Brunswick residents call themselves, were rightly choked and took to Reddit to air their grievances. One noted the government could have installed more than a dozen so-called ‘Level 2’ chargers for the price of one fast dual-current unit..“Charging for me, not for thee,” wrote one zinger.. EV chargerEnvironment Minister Gary Crossman‘S EV charger Message. .“That's a DC fast charger,” added another. “Even mega rich people don't have their own private DCFC. What is this guy's problem?”.The irony is government officials have identified the lack of charging capacity as a main barrier for EV uptake in the province to replace internal combustion cars by 2030..According to online EV charger app PlugShare, there are only four fast chargers in all of Fredericton, including Crossman’s. A Level 2 — or slow charger — takes hours to charge compared to 30 to 45 minutes for the DCFC.."If we're going to achieve our goals and if we're going to have the ability for EV vehicles to become part of the mainstream mode of transportation in our province, we need to address the infrastructure," deputy energy minister Tom McFarlane told MLAs earlier this month..The province’s Progressive Conservative government is facing an uphill battle to get re-elected when it faces a fixed election date in October, 2024. .According to Angus Reid, Premier Blaine Higgs is tied for the lowest approval rating of all Canadian premiers, alongside Manitoba’s Heather Stefanson at around 25%. He’s also facing a caucus revolt among half a dozen MLAs who want him to retire and immediately call an election..Back on Reddit, users said the charging issue is a glaring example of the “entitlement” of the ruling party..“You can’t make this stuff up. The charger costs $150,000 and is placed in front of the parking spot reserved for the Minister for Environment and Climate Change, for his exclusive use,” wrote one user under the handle ‘Moirende’..“This is the new green order the environmentalists are creating for us in a nutshell: the elite get private charging stations on the public dime for their well-above-average cost electric vehicles, while everyone else gets to figure out how they’re going to afford to heat their homes and put food on the table for their families.”
