Greta Thunberg says she didn't know about Victoria invite, but ferry emissions not an issue

Climate change activist Greta Thunberg is disputing stories about an invitation to speak to British Columbia's provincial legislature, saying she wasn't aware of the invite and "definitely" didn't turn it down because of concern over ferry emissions.

On Tuesday, B.C. Green Party Leader Andrew Weaver said heextended an invitation to visit Victoria tothe 16-year-old Swede.

But rumours quickly spread through Victoria's political circles that Thunbergwouldn't be coming to Victoria because there's no way to get there without burning fossil fuels either by ferry or flight.

Mayor Lisa Helpssaid thatalthough she hadn't heard from Thunberg directly,one of her councillors learned the newsfromthe climate activist's team.

Thunbergdismissed the rumours in a tweet on Tuesday evening, writing that she didn't know about the invitation and "have definitely not declined it because of 'emissions' from the public transport ferry."

Thunbergeschewed flights to travel across the Atlantic Ocean in a zero-emission sailboat to attend theUN Climate Action Summitin September. She has travelled in an electric Teslain her trips across North America.

Earlier Tuesday, some Vancouver Islanders came up with creative solutions forbringingThunberg to Victoria. Helps said Olympic rower Adam Kreek offered to row Thunberg to Vancouver Island and back again.

While BC Ferries' long-term plan is to have the company's entire fleet powered by electricity, most of the fleet currently runs on diesel fuel.

It announced its first wave of hybrid electric vessels in September, with the first two expected to be in serviceby 2020.

Climate rally planned in Vancouver

Thunbergalso confirmed Tuesday that she will be joining a climate strikeoutside the Vancouver Art Gallery on Friday.

Sustainabiliteens, a group of teenagers that has organized previous climate strikes in Vancouver, saysyouth are pushing for cross-party collaboration to tackle the climate crisis from a newly elected minority federal government.