Krista Philips of Government of Nova Scotia

“As a coastal province located on Canada’s east coast, Nova Scotia is facing a climate emergency. In 2021, NS committed to reducing greenhouse gas emissions (GHGs) by 53% below 2005 levels and to be net zero by 2050. In fall 2022, NS released its climate plan, with action items to get the province ‘off oil, off coal, and off gas’. Significant portions of the provincial economy are tied to the ocean sector, including fishing, aquaculture, international shipping, ocean tech research and development, and transportation. This represents a significant opportunity for GHG reductions by marine electrification, and economic benefits tied to this new technology.  One of the first projects under development in the province now is a new passenger ferry route in the capital city of Halifax as part of the public transit system. Krista will provide an overview of the current status of this project, and the anticipated benefits and challenges of bringing electric ferries to the region.

Biography:

Krista is leading Nova Scotia’s transition to electric transportation, where she develops policy and programs to reduce GHG emissions and promotes equitable and sustainable transportation systems. This includes personal, fleet, and public transit vehicle electrification. Krista is also exploring the environmental and economic opportunities for electric and hydrogen-powered marine fleets, including transportation, fishing, tourism, and research vessels. Krista holds a Bachelor of Civil Engineering from the University of New Brunswick and MBA-Leadership from Dalhousie University. She worked in the environmental engineering consulting field for over 14 years before joining the Government of Nova Scotia in 2015.

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