B.C. Ferries will no longer allow tow trucks with non-operational EVs on board
Transport Canada has had a policy on the books since 2014 that mandates damaged or defective vehicle batteries be removed and transported separately from the vehicles themselves on board ferries.
It comes amid growing concerns of the fire risk associated with vehicles' lithium-ion batteries, especially as they see growing adoption across B.C.
Now, the province's ferry authority says it's giving staff better guidance when it comes to EVs that aren't fit to be driven.
While EVs that are still functional are able to go on board ferries, those that are damaged or not operational aren't being allowed.
"EVs can still travel with us," said a B.C. Ferries spokesperson on Monday. "The updates are about safety and clarity, not restrictions on everyday drivers."
A tow truck operator on the Gulf Islands — which are particularly reliant on B.C. Ferries, when it comes to accessing major services — says he was caught off guard by the clarified internal policies.
Jonathan Vipond, the owner of Salt Spring Island Towing, said that simple repairs to EVs can be done on the island, but more elaborate repairs would need to be done by a dealership that's a ferry ride away.
"Currently, at this point, we have one option of possibly putting them on a landing craft and barging them off the island, but we really don't have a major solution at this point," Vipond said.
That option would cost upwards of $1,000, an amount that would have to be paid by the vehicle owner, and Vipond said there were two EVs stuck on the island already amid the clarified policies.
In its statement, B.C. Ferries says that it's seeking clarification from regulators on whether safe options to transport non-operational EVs can be introduced.
In addition to non-functioning EVs, the ferry authority says that charging EVs isn't allowed on terminals or on board, and there aren't charging stations in those locations anyway.
Requirement since 2014
Transport Canada says that no safety incidents regarding EVs on commercial marine vehicles have been reported to them.
It said that the transport of a damaged battery or a vehicle can be arranged through alternative means, like a commercial cargo or barge operator.
"Damaged or malfunctioning lithium batteries may pose a serious fire hazard, which is an even greater risk to safety in the confined vehicle space of a roll-on/roll-off ferry," a Transport Canada spokesperson wrote in a statement.
The regulations regarding transporting EV batteries are particularly relevant given increasing EV adoption across the country, with fire chiefs telling CBC News they're having to adapt to the particular risks associated with EV fires.
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New York Times
2 hours ago
- New York Times
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Yahoo
3 hours ago
- Yahoo
Homegrown Loyalty Surges Ahead of Canada Day
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'This isn't performative patriotism—it's a strategic consumer shift,' said Robert Jenkyn, President, Horizon Media Canada. 'People are using their dollars to vote for trust, transparency, and Canadian-made value. It's a loyalty play with real staying power.' A national turn inward — and a lasting oneThe loyalty shift is taking root across the country, but Atlantic Canada (62 per cent), British Columbia (71 per cent) and Ontario (74 per cent) are leading the way. The trend is being reinforced by changes in travel behaviour as well: 67 per cent of Canadians say they've adjusted or cancelled trips to the United States due to the weak Canadian dollar, and 59 per cent say they've reduced their purchases of U.S. brands altogether. This is not a short-term reaction. Eighty-five per cent of Canadians say they plan to prioritize Canadian-made products moving forward, with many indicating they will do so even if prices increase. 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Horizon MediaHorizon Media Inc., the largest independent media agency in North America, delivers data-driven business outcomes for some of the world's most innovative and ambitious brands. Founded in 1989, headquartered in New York, and with offices in Los Angeles, Toronto, and Edmonton, the company employs 2,400 people and has media investments of more than $9.5 billion. Horizon Media's fundamental belief is that business is personal, which drives its approach to connecting brands with their customers and engaging with its own employees resulting in industry-leading workplace satisfaction levels (Glassdoor). The company is consistently recognized by independent media outlets for its client excellence and has earned several "Best Workplaces" awards reflecting its commitment to DEI and the life and well-being of everyone at Horizon Media. For more information on Horizon Media in Canada, please visit Andrew FindlaterSELECT Public Relationsafindlater@ 444-1197Error in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data
New York Times
3 hours ago
- New York Times
Why was this NHL free agency such a dud? What does it mean for 2025-26?
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Some teams that had intended to be far more aggressive, like the Red Wings and Maple Leafs, instead chose to stand down, leaving acres of cap space untouched. There was frustration evident around the league with how things played out, even if it wasn't entirely unexpected given the rising cap, weak free-agent class and so many teams trying to get better. 'There were people we targeted, and once those guys were gone, we've always said we have a plan and we have to stick to it,' Flames GM Craig Conroy said after his team's quiet day, despite owning $20 million in cap room. Advertisement 'I know everybody wants to talk about second-line centers,' Leafs GM Brad Treliving said of one key unfilled need for his club, which now has a rare surplus of $6 million cap space entering the offseason. 'There's probably, by my count, 27 teams that are looking for them. And so the ones that have them aren't giving them out.' For the most part they weren't giving out scoring wingers, top-four defensemen or starting goalies, either. Even with some executives opting out of the exercise altogether, the free-agent boards — meager as they were entering July 1 — were decimated throughout the day. The only unrestricted free agents who had 30 points last season that remained unsigned going into Day 2 were Nikolaj Ehlers, Pius Suter, Matt Grzelcyk and Jack Roslovic. Complicating things further was the fact so many teams had a lot to spend, to an extent we probably haven't witnessed in the 20 years of the cap era. Even with second-pair defensemen like Ivan Provorov getting $8.5 million and depth forwards like Tanner Jeannot signing for $3.4 million, there's still roughly $300 million left to spend across the league, an average of more than $9 million per team. And that's before injured veterans like Carey Price and Alex Pietrangelo end up on LTIR to free up more room for Montreal and Vegas, two of just four teams currently over the cap. (The others are Florida and Dallas, two contenders that will have to dump a little salary in the days to come.) At the other extreme of things, the Sharks have $34 million in cap room with 19 players signed, putting them $9.5 million under the league's $70.6 million salary floor, and the Ducks aren't far behind at $29 million. In all, 13 clubs have $10 million or more in open space, despite the fact almost every team has a full complement of 20-odd players signed already. Advertisement Some of that excess will go to the 40-odd restricted free agents who have yet to sign, but even their ranks have thinned dramatically over the past week as teams rushed to take the prospect of an offer sheet off the table, rewarding the likes of K'Andre Miller (who was dealt to Carolina on Tuesday), Logan Stankoven, Evan Bouchard, Noah Dobson, Martin Fehervary, Alexander Romanov, Morgan Geekie, Nic Hague, JJ Peterka and Matthew Knies with huge paydays. The reality is giving those young players more money and term on their second or third contracts felt far more palatable than the inflated prices for many aging veterans. Executives we talked on Tuesday night noted that while there was plenty of extra money to throw around, it simply didn't matter given the value of cap space isn't what it has been in the past. What will that mean in practice in the months to come? Well, with so many teams unable to meet their needs in free agency this year, expect the trade market to continue to churn throughout the summer and into September when training camps open. With so few teams selling off established players — and only the Penguins seemingly in a traditional teardown — there are going to have to be more hockey deals made, where GMs swap established players in order to fill roster voids. What could also happen is additional movement as the contenders get sorted out from the pretenders once the regular season starts. If teams fall out of the playoff race early — by, say, early December — there could be a profitable selloff as the postseason-bound clubs are finally able use their extra cap room by picking over the rosters of GMs throwing in the towel. The other knock-on effect of this year's ugly UFA buying experience may well be that teams start to get even more aggressive in trying to lock up their talent, draining what looked like it would be an enticing 2026 free-agent pool of much of its intrigue. It's hard to imagine the teams with potential 2026 UFAs like Jack Eichel, Kirill Kaprizov, Kyle Connor and, yes, Connor McDavid want anything to do with having to try and replace those losses in free agency a year from now. That fear, combined with all the cap room out there, could drive prices for those stars far higher than we've seen to date. Advertisement With the majority of the NHL's top players choosing to sign long-term deals to stay where they are, it's become so hard to find superstars in this league that letting one slip away — the way the Leafs did with Marner — feels like it'll be extra punishing going forward. And days like July 1 are clearly becoming a less vital part of building a contender than ever. (Photo of the Canadiens waiting on the ice: Geoff Burke / Imagn Images)
