Premier Andrew Furey and British Columbia Premier David Eby have signed an agreement to work together on clean energy initiatives.
They will share information on developing the hydrogen energy sector in both provinces in a bid to become more efficient.
Premier Furey says the coastal provinces will swap details on their experience building the sector, including governance structure and other processes aimed at creating green hydrogen, which he calls key to a net-zero economy.
Premiers Talking Housing Challenges
While clean energy is the main focus of the agreement, the two premiers also discussed other mutual challenges, such as housing.
Eby says he offered Furey some advice on what he says were mistakes in dealing with tent encampments, like what has been seen on Confederation Hill.
He says early in the COVID pandemic they had an encampment that they opted to move into a hotel. However, Eby explains that they did so without getting to know the people and their needs first.
Ultimately, he says they had to close the hotel because they housed people there who weren’t ready to live in that type of situation, and who were in some cases dangerous. He says they learned the importance of getting to know people and the supports they need first.
Furey agrees that it is important to let the system get to know the individual needs of the people they are trying to help.
He says it is too simplistic to suggest that one displaced person should equal a new unit. He says there needs to be a continuum in place to ensure needs are being met.