Electric vehicle show launches Sustainability Month in Orillia

Electric vehicles are featured for Sustainable Month in Orillia, Ont. on Saturday, September 11 (Amanda Hicks/CTV News)

BARRIE, ONT. -

Sustainable Month has begun in Orillia, providing education and activities surrounding environmentally friendly options.

Sustainable Orillia, a local environmental group, organized a car show on Saturday to showcase electric vehicles at the Orillia Square Mall.

Stan Mathewson, president of Sustainable Orillia, says that a focus of the car display is to educate the public on the affordability and accessibility of electric vehicles.

"They are a little more expensive to buy at the outset, but your cost over a ten-year period is going to be lower than buying a comparable gas vehicle," Mathewson says.

Education on accessibility and affordability for green-powered vehicles is another focus.

"I think people need to be educated. They need to get the opportunity to drive them," he says. "They need to talk to people who drive them, and that's why we do this," he adds.

Sustainable Orillia was founded in 2018 with the goal of making the community more sustainable through climate change actions.

"Sustainability is about the way we live," Mathewson says. "And ensuring our children and grandchildren can enjoy the same lifestyle we have."

The organization encompasses Orillia, Severn, Rama, Ramara First Nation and Oro-Medonte.

A variety of webinars and seminars will be running for the remainder of this month.

Visit their website for the full list of events.