A plan to reduce emissions in Inukjuak could be delayed after a non-profit organization lost out on funding it was expecting due to provincial budget cuts.
Pituvik Landholding Corp. is now seeking money from elsewhere to research electric vehicles in the North, said president Tommy Palliser. The aim is to support the community of 1,800 residents in reaching net-zero emissions by 2030.
Net-zero is a term for not producing more greenhouse gases than what can be removed from the atmosphere. Greenhouse gases are produced by the burning of fossil fuels, such as diesel and oil. They trap the sun’s heat in Earth’s atmosphere and are the major driver of climate change.
Fossil fuels are the source of about 68 per cent of global greenhouse gas emissions, according to the United Nations.
“We did have verbal approval from the Ministry of Transport of Quebec of $3 million that they were going to contribute to us,” Palliser said.
The money was going to support research into switching from gasoline-powered vehicles to electric ones. Last fall, though, Pituvik received a letter from the ministry saying it can no longer fund the project due to budget cuts.
The average driver spends $6,000 to $10,000 on gasoline annually in Inukjuak, depending on the size of their vehicle, Palliser said.
“Our ultimate goal is to fight climate change but also save money for our community members,” he said.
Concordia University in Montreal is contributing $3.75 million and the University of Toronto is giving $250,000 to study which vehicles work best in northern climates, including examining battery storage, charging stations and battery recycling.
The whole project was expected to cost $7 million with a $3-million injection from the Quebec government.
Electric vehicles are not a “magic” solution to climate change, said Daniel Posen, associate professor of civil and mineral engineering at the University of Toronto.
While they don’t produce any direct greenhouse gases, the processes used to make electric vehicles generate emissions that are still harmful to the planet.
Driving also causes other types of air pollution.
“There’s tire wear. Little bits of the tire basically end up in the air and that can still be a problem for what you’re breathing in,” Posen said.
“Driving less is always the best option.”
The benefits of electric vehicles are cancelled out as well if the electricity used to charge them is sourced from fossil fuels such as diesel, Posen said.
Most northern communities are powered by diesel generating stations, but in Inukjuak a 7.5-megawatt dam supplies 90 per cent of the energy needed to power the community.
Switching from gasoline to electric is definitely a start, Posen said, adding perfect should not be the enemy of good.
“Even if we can’t quite meet those exact targets, it could still be a very positive direction in terms of reducing the impact of climate change.”
As for Palliser, his plan is to explore other funding options and attend an electric vehicle expo in Montreal from May 4 to 6.
By Dominique Gené, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter
Original Published on Apr 06, 2026 at 06:23
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