RBC Climate Action Institute<\/a>, and whether Manitoba could be a new model for Canada\u2019s transition. He kept returning to a single word: hydrogen. His NDP government wants to make Manitoba a green hydrogen hub, even though the province is running short of surplus industrial power. Kinew is also keen to advance electric vehicle adoption, especially for the buses, trucks and farm machines that account for a third of Manitoba\u2019s emissions. He has a hometown advantage in New Flyer Industries, a global player in electric and hydrogen buses, but needs a growing economy to finance the transition.<\/p>\nMore electricity generation and transmission will be an added challenge for Kinew\u2019s promise of reconciliation. His province\u2019s population is 20% Indigenous, the highest in Canada, and new projects will face growing tests of \u201cfree, prior and informed consent.\u201d The same challenge will face the NDP\u2019s promise of critical minerals production. (The province claims to hold 29 of 31 key minerals, including lithium.) Kinew said he is hoping to see \u201centhusiastic consent\u201d exhibited through business partnerships.<\/p>\n
Manitoba\u2019s other great climate opportunity? Agriculture. I visited the University of Manitoba\u2019s Glenlea Research Station, south of Winnipeg, to see Canada\u2019s oldest soil sequestration test site, aimed at capturing greenhouse gases. The station is also developing technologies to capture gases from the province\u2019s four million cows, hogs and pigs.<\/p>\n
Manitoba is home to only 1.4 million people. It will need all the climate tech it can develop to harness their\u2014and the province\u2019s\u2014energy.<\/p>\n