Your EV mandate? Doug Ford, you try driving up here

Bonjour from the North — three cities, one corridor, and the stories that don't make it south of Barrie.

So, the news about Quebec’s Premier Legault dismissing Doug Ford’s concerns over an electric vehicle mandate? Ford is worried about the cost to consumers. Up here, in Sault Ste. Marie, that conversation hits different. When you live along Highway 17, where the next charging station can be an hour or more away, and winter temperatures can make a battery’s range disappear faster than a hot tourtière, the idea of an **electric vehicle** isn't just about a green future. It’s about practicality, and for many of us, it’s about survival on the road.

Ford might be talking about affordability for someone doing a quick commute in the GTA, but try telling someone from Garden River First Nation or Batchewana First Nation, who might rely on their vehicle for appointments or supplies down the line, that an **electric vehicle** is the easy choice right now. We are talking about long stretches of road between communities, unpredictable weather, and the sheer need for a reliable vehicle that can handle the elements. While the idea of cutting down emissions around the Algoma Steel plant is appealing, the infrastructure just isn't here yet, not like it is in the south.

* Charging stations are sparse outside of major hubs.

* The cold saps battery life significantly.

* The upfront cost is still a major barrier for many working-class families in the Sault.

* Range anxiety is a real thing when you're heading to Sudbury or Thunder Bay.

When they talk about **electric vehicles** down south, it often feels like they forget the vastness of Northern Ontario. We want to be part of the future, bien sûr, but it has to work for our reality. This isn’t a cottage country drive; this is our life on the Trans-Canada Highway.

Marc-André Desjardins, MiTL Sports Desk, Sault Ste. Marie.

My friends at the Morning Wire dive into this stuff every day – catch their take at mornings.live.