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LETTER: Why P.E.I. should rethink its cruise ship subsidy

Prince Edward Island is being told that spending $14.3 million to allow cruise ships to plug into Charlottetown’s electrical grid is a bold step toward “green tourism.” In reality, it is public subsidization of one of the most environmentally damaging forms of tourism on the planet.

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At a time when Islanders face soaring housing costs, strained infrastructure, rising food insecurity, and increasing pressure on our electrical grid, governments are prioritizing the cruise ship industry. That decision deserves serious scrutiny.

The project will allow cruise ships to connect to P.E.I.’s electrical system while docked instead of running diesel engines continuously. While this may reduce some emissions and noise at port, it does not make the cruise industry sustainable. Calling it “green shipping” is greenwashing.

Cruise ships remain........

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