It is a challenge that is not only unique to Canada. There are other nations, as well, that have more remote communities, particularly with harsher environmental and climatic conditions that raise a lot of challenges for these new technologies.
I would say that whether it's with hybrid engines or electric cars, we are not there yet in terms of having the technology to operate in those kinds of conditions. Similarly, on the power supply question, there is no silver bullet “one size fits all” form of generation that can meet a community's needs. Diesel has its drawbacks in terms of cost and local pollution and, as you know, with solar, the sun isn't always shining.
I think the solution on the supply side is likely to be hybrid solutions, a number of different solutions, and they are going to be quite community-specific in terms of whether there is a geothermal resource that can be tapped into or whether there is the prospect of hydro in close proximity, so that you don't have to spend a fortune on transmission.
I think there is a real opportunity for Canada to actually be forging ahead with developing some of these solutions. In the pan-Canadian framework on clean growth and climate change, they do identify the need to assist remote communities to get off diesel and get onto reliable and affordable alternative supplies of energy. At the provincial, territorial, and federal level there are some efforts afoot to do that.
When it comes to electric vehicles, I think we actually need to be doing more to design and test vehicles that work in the Canadian environment, recognizing that it is somewhat unique. There is now a Canadian start-up company called Havelaar, which is designing an all-electric pickup truck, and they are designing and testing it in Canada to meet the needs and the driving conditions Canadians face.
I think we need to continue to encourage more of that. Not only will we be able to capitalize on that here in Canada, but we will be able to export those technologies and those results to other nations that face similar challenges as well.