Potential Canada Post strike inches closer
Canada Post workers could walk off the job for the second time in six months. CTV's Karis Mapp learns what it could mean for businesses in Waterloo Region.
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Globe and Mail
29 minutes ago
- Globe and Mail
Access to Tesla's Supercharger network makes Nissan Ariya's ho-hum range more useable
Nissan pioneered the modern electric vehicle when it launched the Leaf in 2011, yet it took more than a decade to add a second all-electric model to its portfolio. Originally expected in 2021, the Ariya was delayed by the pandemic until late 2022, when it launched in Canada as a 2023 model. Ordinarily, we wouldn't revisit a vehicle less than three years into its lifecycle but, in the Ariya's case, my curiosity was piqued by a new feature for 2025 – access to Tesla's Supercharger network. Other automakers are also adding Supercharger compatibility to their EVs, but this was my first opportunity to experience plugging a non-Tesla vehicle into a Tesla charger. The enabler on the Ariya is an adapter that mates Tesla's North American Charging Standard (NACS) plug to the CCS1 port used on Ariya and most other non-Tesla EVs. Starting later this year, Nissan says a NACS port will become standard on future Nissan EVs, including the next-generation Leaf. Nissan charges $309.99 for the adapter and, if you're tempted by a cheaper aftermarket alternative, note the Nissan small print: 'The NACS Adapter Kit provided by Nissan or purchased from a U.S. or Canadian Nissan Dealership is deemed by Nissan as the only compatible adapter for Nissan EVs … Use of an adapter that is not a Nissan-compliant NACS Adapter is strictly prohibited.' The adapter is a black plastic device, roughly the size of a 500-gram baking soda carton, which you carry in the vehicle and plug in as needed. Additionally, a much smaller plastic piece is supplied that gets permanently pushed into the hourglass-shaped opening in the lower part of the CCS1 port. As for the network, the NACS capability adds about 17,800 chargers in Canada and the U.S. to the existing Nissan Energy Charge Network (NECN). In Canada, this network includes ChargeHub, Shell Recharge, Flo, Chargepoint, Circuit Electrique, BC Hydro and IVY. That brings the NECN charger count to more than 25,000 in Canada alone. As with those networks, Supercharging is controlled and billed through the MyNissan smartphone app. Pricing is set by Tesla and varies according to location, time-of-use and possibly other factors not revealed on the Tesla app. The new 32-charger Tesla station I used in south Mississauga billed $35.82 (including taxes and fees) to add 50 kilowatt-hours and 250 kilometres of range on a Sunday evening and $11.69 to add 30 kilowatt-hours and 136 kilometres on a Tuesday morning. The first thing I learned at that Supercharger station is that the cables are short. I had to angle the Ariya close so the cable could reach the car's charge port. The adjoining bays were empty on that occasion, but it could get tight if they were occupied. My first 'hook-up' was just for photography, a decision that went pear-shaped when I wanted to disconnect and couldn't. Normally, tapping 'end charge' on the app unlocks the connector but because I hadn't started a charge, I had to Google another way to unlock a DC fast charger from an Ariya. (The solution: exit vehicle, close all doors, hit 'lock' on key fob, then 'unlock' twice). While Tesla chargers promise up to 250 kilowatts, the Ariya's maximum DC charging rate is 130. In practice, when I started a charge at 32-per-cent state of charge, the Ariya took 79 kilowatts and predicted 20 minutes to 80 per cent and 70 minutes to 100 per cent. The NACS-ready 2025 Ariya is available in single-motor/front-wheel-drive or dual-motor/all-wheel drive (e-4ORCE) versions, each with a choice of 63- or 87-kilowatt-hour (useable) battery packs. Starting prices range from $49,998 to $61,998, while the big-battery e-4ORCE can be optioned with Platinum+ or Premiere packages that add $3,000 or $4,200 respectively. Official range numbers span from 330 kilometres for the small-battery AWD to 465 for the big-battery FWD model. Over a week of mostly-highway driving in mid-April with the heating off most of the time, the projected range for the big-battery AWD test sample varied between about 380 and 420 kilometres. (Official range is 414 kilometres with the optional 20-inch wheels). You can get an Ariya with more range, though at a price: the front-wheel-drive model with the bigger battery (465 kilometres of range) includes more bells and whistles than the base model (348 kilometres) and costs $10,000 more. However much – or little – range you can afford, access to Tesla Superchargers makes longer trips that much more do-able. 2025 Nissan Ariya Evolve+ e-4ORCE Curiously, the Ariya is officially classified as a station wagon but its dimensions match a typical compact SUV – albeit one with a coupe-esque silhouette. The 0.3 drag coefficient is commendable, though optional 20-inch wheels (19s are standard) trim the official range to 414 kilometres from 430. The minimalistic elements of the cockpit are well assembled, with interesting combinations of materials. Comfortable seats with an extensive range of adjustment allow a tall-in-saddle posture for those who need or want it and good sightlines in all directions except through the shallow rear screen. Twin freestanding 12.3-inch displays are integrated in what Nissan calls a 'wave-like shape,' while separate haptic icons are used for climate control. The floor is flat, with no centre tunnel, the drive-selector toggle switch sitting on a floating, power-sliding centre console/armrest. Rear-seat space is somewhat below par for Ariya's size class and the high floor forces adults into a knees-up or knees-splayed posture. Typical of most newer-model EVs, the Ariya's initial launch feels artificially moderated, presumably to avoid the potentially neck-wrenching lunge of a powertrain that develops its maximum torque at zero rpm. Even so, the 290-kilowatt e-4ORCE is good for a feisty zero-to-100-kilometre-an-hour sprint in the low-five-second range. When the road takes a turn, the Ariya corners well, but lifeless steering makes it a less-than-engaging experience and on the (optional) 20-inch wheels, I found the ride rather stiff. Conversely, a rather soft brake pedal is a subjective demerit, while the Ariya offers only one fairly mild – albeit easy to adapt to – level of additional regenerative braking. All Ariya's include a suite of hands-on-wheel assisted driving features that include lane following, adaptive cruise control with stop and hold, plus automatic speed adjustment for curves, off-ramps or changing speed limits. The Platinum package adds a camera-based video rear-view mirror and automated parking. Connectivity assets include Amazon's Alexa, USB-A and USB-C ports plus wireless phone charging. CarPlay is wireless but not Android Auto. Cargo volumes of 645 litres with seats-up and 1,690 with seats-down are competitive with rival BEV compact crossovers but well below most gas-powered alternatives. The 60/40-split rear seatbacks fold flat and there's some additional under-floor space, but no frunk. The 2025 Ariya is a nice BEV, not a great one, but access to Tesla Superchargers makes its ho-hum electric range more useable in the long run. Shopping for a new car? Check out the new Globe Drive Build and Price Tool to see the latest discounts, rebates and rates on new cars, trucks and SUVs. Click here to get your price.
Globe and Mail
29 minutes ago
- Globe and Mail
Carney to announce Canada's defence spending will hit NATO's target of 2% of GDP this fiscal year, sources say
Prime Minister Mark Carney is set to announce what his government is billing as the largest increase in defence spending since the Second World War, measures that sources say would enable Canada to meet NATO's 2-per-cent military expenditure target this fiscal year, well ahead of any previously announced schedule. Two senior government sources told The Globe and Mail that Mr. Carney will unveil a new security and defence investment plan during a Monday speech at the University of Toronto's Munk School of Global Affairs. It will commit the government to rapidly procuring the equipment and technology needed to protect Canada, assert the country's sovereignty and meet its obligations to the North Atlantic Treaty Organization, the sources said. The Globe is not identifying the sources, as they were not authorized to speak publicly on the matter. For years, NATO member countries have agreed they should spend the equivalent of 2 per cent of gross domestic product on defence. But Canada has been a persistent laggard, spending an estimated 1.45 per cent in 2024, according to a recent NATO report. Canada's existing level of investment has been criticized as insufficient at a time of increasing global threats. Among the critics is U.S. President Donald Trump, who argues his country has devoted too many of its resources to protecting NATO allies. Mr. Carney's coming plan will allow Canada to meet the 2-per-cent target in the 2025-2026 fiscal year ending next March and exceed it in future years, the sources said. This represents a rapid shift in Canada's commitment to defence – already a significant portion of the federal budget – as it moves up the timeline to reach the 2-per-cent target by several years. The spending increase, worth billions of dollars, is set to be announced ahead of the NATO leaders' June 24-25 summit. At The Hague gathering, member countries are expected to raise the Western alliance's military spending target to 3.5 per cent of GDP, plus another amount equivalent to 1.5 per cent for security-related investments. The sources said the new spending will include higher pay for members of the Canadian Armed Forces; new aircraft, armed vehicles and ammunition; new drones and more sensors to monitor the seafloor and the Arctic; repair and maintenance commitments for existing ships, aircraft and other assets; more health care funding for Forces personnel; and funding to boost the Canadian Coast Guard's reach and capabilities. There will also be commitments to increase Canada's defence industry capacity as well as capabilities in artificial intelligence, cyber, quantum and space technologies, the sources said. The expedited effort to meet the NATO 2-per-cent target this fiscal year represents a marked change from as recently as 12 months ago, when then-prime minister Justin Trudeau announced it would take Canada until 2032. He also publicly criticized the target as a 'crass mathematical calculation' that didn't properly account for a country's contributions to NATO. During the recent federal election campaign, Mr. Carney's Liberals pledged to accelerate efforts and reach the 2-per-cent threshold by 2030. The government will provide dollar figures for the announcement on Monday, the sources said. Canadian experts have previously estimated Ottawa would require $15-billion to $20-billion in additional annual military spending to reach the 2-per-cent target. NATO to back 5% spending target in June, Secretary-General says One persistent problem Canada has faced in acquiring new military equipment is a slow and unwieldy procurement process. Mr. Carney's Liberals in the recent election campaign promised to create a stand-alone defence purchasing agency to speed up military equipment procurement, and to prioritize buying Canadian gear and materials whenever possible. It's also expected that the Canadian Coast Guard, currently a civilian operating agency under the Department of Fisheries and Oceans, will be moved under the Department of National Defence. (The move would mirror the U.S. Coast Guard, which is a branch of the U.S. Armed Forces.) The Canadian Coast Guard's annual budget is about $2.5-billion, a small fraction of the Department of National Defence's yearly spending, which exceeds $41-billion. It's not clear whether moving the Coast Guard under the Canadian military would change it from a civilian fleet to a military fleet. The defence spending will also support key capabilities, including the Arctic over-the-horizon radar system investment announced in March, a counter-drone program, joint support ships, long-range precision strike weapons, increased domestic ammunition production and additional armoured vehicles, among other priorities, the sources said. U.S. ambassador to NATO says the military alliance must outspend Russia on defence Monday's new commitment may not be enough for allies, including the United States under Mr. Trump. Over the past two decades, an agreement among NATO countries to reach the 2-per-cent target has evolved from a guideline to the minimum acceptable obligation. Moscow's all-out-assault on Ukraine – the first large-scale land war in Europe since the Second World War – has reignited fears of Russian expansionism and driven many NATO countries to make historic increases in defence spending. NATO's top civilian official, Secretary-General Mark Rutte, said recently he expects leaders of member countries at the coming summit to agree to raise military spending and related security expenditures to 5 per cent of GDP. 'Strong defences send a clear message – no one should ever think of attacking us,' Mr. Rutte said in a speech in Brussels on Wednesday. He told reporters later that 'if we think that we can keep ourselves safe sticking with the 2 per cent, forget it.'
CTV News
an hour ago
- CTV News
Carney set to make defence announcement in Toronto as NATO eyes spending boost
Prime Minister Mark Carney speaks during a news conference in Ottawa, Friday, May 2, 2025. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Adrian Wyld OTTAWA — Prime Minister Mark Carney's office says he will be in Toronto today to make an announcement related to 'defence and security priorities.' The announcement is slated for 10 a.m., after which he is set to tour a local military facility before holding a news conference at 1 p.m. Defence ministers from NATO countries met in Brussels last week to discuss raising the member spending target on defence to as much as five per cent of GDP. Canada has never met NATO's existing spending target of two per cent since it was established in 2006, and the topic will loom large when NATO leaders meet later this month in the Netherlands. Carney promised during the recent election campaign to move up Canada's deadline for meeting the two per cent threshold from 2032 to 2030 or sooner, but hasn't yet revealed a plan for meeting that figure. The NATO secretary-general's annual report released this past April says Canada's defence spending likely hit 1.45 per cent in 2024. This report by The Canadian Press was first published June 9, 2025. Canadian Press staff, The Canadian Press
