We underwent an incredible cold snap over the last few days, with temperatures dipping into the -40’s. At one point on Saturday night, the provincial government sent out an emergency notice over the cell phone networks.

It was an alert about a struggling power grid, asking people to turn off any unnecessary power draws. It suggested that over the coming hours, there may be rotating blackouts to ease the strain on the grid.

Thankfully, it didn’t happen.

But people on social media wasted no time criticizing electric vehicles and the draw they have on the system. Calling out the hypocrisy of those who drive them, as the lithium mining process is horrible for the environment, and the power to charge the batteries is, at least here, mostly powered by coal.

The problem is that the focus on the cars and their drivers was incorrectly targeted. While their points were accurate — the influx of electric vehicles has impacted power usage — it doesn’t address the root of the issue.

Electric cars are coming. Maybe not as soon as some want, but their mass adoption is inevitable.

Aiming frustration and anger towards the vehicles themselves and their owners doesn’t solve anything. It won’t stop them.

The focus needs to be on the power grid, and how we’re going to cope with the future.

Our world is becoming more and more digital. We’re creating and storing data at exponential levels. We rely on technology more and more every year.

We need to adjust the infrastructure accordingly; whatever that means.

Instead of scapegoating technology or trying to throttle new advancements, we need to figure out how we’re going to cope with their inevitability.