#EVWeek in Canada: Minister Wilkinson Announces $1.7 M in Funding for New Chargers in British Columbia 

July 13, 2022         Burnaby, British Columbia          Natural Resources Canada

Reducing pollution from the transportation sector is critical to Canada achieving its climate targets. That’s why the Government of Canada is making it easier for Canadians to purchase, charge and drive electric vehicles (EVs) in British Columbia and across the country.

Today as part of #EVWeek in Canada, the Honourable Jonathan Wilkinson, Minister of Natural Resources, announced a combined investment of $1.7 million to two organizations to install a total of 128 EV chargers in British Columbia.

Funded through Natural Resources Canada’s (NRCan) Electric Vehicle and Alternative Fuel Infrastructure Deployment Initiative and Zero-Emission Vehicle Infrastructure Program (ZEVIP), the British Columbia Ministry of Transportation and Infrastructure received an investment of $1.2 million to install 28 EV stations. This initiative and program support the deployment of charging and refuelling infrastructure where it is most needed, along highways and where Canadians live, work and play. All EV stations will be available to British Columbians by the winter of 2022. The BC Ministry of Transportation and Infrastructure also contributed $2.4 million, bringing the total project cost to $3.6 million.

Also funded through NRCan’s Zero-Emission Vehicle Infrastructure Program (ZEVIP), the City of Burnaby received an investment of $500,000 to install 100 Level 2 EV chargers for use by its fleet at city hall. The chargers were activated in May 2022 and will accelerate the city’s transition to a zero-carbon vehicle fleet. The City of Burnaby also contributed over $650,000, bringing the total project cost to over $1.1 million.

Since 2016, Canada has invested a historic $1 billion to make EVs more affordable and chargers more accessible for Canadians. These investments are supporting the establishment of a nationwide network of chargers in local areas where Canadians live, work and play, while federal rebates of up to $5,000 are helping more Canadians make the switch to an EV.

Budget 2022 provided an additional $1.7 billion to extend the government’s purchase incentive program until March 2025 and to expand the types of vehicle models eligible under the program, which would include more vans, trucks and SUVs. In support of the government’s objective of adding 50,000 zero-emission vehicle (ZEV) chargers to Canada’s network, Budget 2022 also provided an additional $400 million to Natural Resources Canada to continue deploying zero-emission vehicle infrastructure by extending the ZEVIP to March 2027, complemented by $500 million that Canada’s Infrastructure Bank will invest in large-scale ZEV charging and refuelling infrastructure that is revenue-generating and in the public interest.

As part of the transition to net zero by 2050, Infrastructure Canada and the Canada Infrastructure Bank are supporting the decarbonization of public transit and school buses. The Government of Canada is on track to surpass the 2019 commitment supporting the procurement of over 5,000 zero-emissions buses, including nearly 4,000 school buses in B.C., Quebec and P.E.I. and over 1,200 public transit buses in 10 cities from coast to coast. These electric and hydrogen fuel-cell buses will be deployed on the road over approximately the next five years.

The government is also taking action on medium- and heavy-duty vehicles, which contribute to nearly 10 percent of Canada’s emissions. In order to decarbonize this fleet, the Government of Canada is providing $547.5 million over four years. This program will support eligible recipient’s purchase or lease medium- and heavy-duty zero-emission vehicles with incentives ranging from $10,000 up to $200,000 depending on the vehicle’s class, helping businesses and communities make the switch to zero-emissions transportation, from coast to coast to coast.

These investments are yet another step in reaching Canada’s target of ensuring all new passenger vehicles sold in Canada are zero-emission by 2035. And just like investments in everything from clean technology to nature protection, today’s announcement is part of achieving Canada’s ambitious climate change goals to build a cleaner, healthier and affordable future for all Canadians.