You do not need an expensive new EV to have a lot of fun. From trips to Northern Ontario, ski trips and everything in between see how we made the most of our used Nissan Leaf.
The fallacy of the gas tax holiday
Mr. Carney recently announced an extension of the gas tax holiday, briefly eliminating the a 10 c/litre levy on gasolene (4c/l for Diesel and Aviation fuel) until January 31st 2027. Perhaps unsurprisingly, I feel this is a mistake. Yes it is true that gas prices have increased since Mr. Trump went to war with Iran…
Where is the Canadian environmentalist?
At the time of this writing Canada’s forests are on fire, fuelled by climate change (source), wild-fire smoke is choking much of Toronto, and the population centres of the eastern seaboard. Apocalyptic images fill social media, and the cause is well known. A casual survey suggested that most people know climate change is to blame.…
Are the big three gone from Canada?
Once a back-bone of the Canadian auto-industry, the big three (GM, Ford and Stellantis) have been steadily reducing their Canadian manufacturing footprint for some time, Mr. Trump has in many ways accelerated their exit from the Canadian market, mostly to the benefit of Mexico. These days, with the exception of specialised trucks, the only vehicle…
Cheaper EVs are here
The higher sticker price of EVs is a major turn-off for potential EV drivers. While “fuelling” is much cheaper in an EV, as is maintenance, that sticker price (and the associated higher insurance costs), kinda kills the “fuel” and maintenance gains. Here in Toronto Canada, we are enjoying a bit of a discount EV moment.…
North Bay three ways
Now with my third EV, we can look back and compare our journey with the different EVs. The original Nissan Leaf (2015), second generation Nissan Leaf (2018), and the 2026 Kia EV4. Overall advancement in EV technology are evident, with journey times greatly reduced as technology has improved. Lifestyle wise, the biggest jump for me…
Where is the gas-price spike?
Mr. Trumps middle-east adventures continue at the time of this writing in July of 2026. It is quite the drama, but setting all this aside, what is remarkable is the absence of “crazy-high-gas-prices”. Particularly given that several of the worlds large oil producers are under strain. Something is different this time around, compared to historical…
Balcony solar
As a homeowner in a detached house, installing solar, is a fairly straightforward project. Yes perhaps the whole three inspector thing is a bit much, but it is doable at a reasonable cost (quote an earlier blog). But a third of Canadians rent (source), with perhaps another sixth living in Condominiums (source). Try as they…
Book review: On Oil by Don Gillmore
As we get to the steamy months of the summer, why not find a hammock on a beach somewhere and enjoy a good book. No need to send that email, all you will get in return are out-of-office notices any-ways. While heavy, you will need an uplifting beverage, Don Gillmore’s book On Oil is very…
The great auto-bailout at 18
As the financial crisis hit back in 2008, there was lots of carnage. Banks went bust, mostly owning to poor decision making on mortgage loans, some of which were badly underwater. But auto-loans suffered to, and with it, the auto-makers (source). The US and Canada spent sizeable sums to prop up the big three (mostly…
Flying Harbour Air, will they go electric soon?
On a recent trip to the west coast, I needed to get from Victoria to Vancouver. I was surprised to learn that one of the cheaper way’s to get there was via sea-plane operator Harbour Air. Not to mention convenient, as I walked from my Victoria hotel, hopped on a sea-plane and walked from the…
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