Federal Investment in Electric Vehicle Charging Infrastructure
On September 13, 2024, the Honourable Jonathan Wilkinson, Minister of Energy and Natural Resources, announced federal investments totaling $14.9 million for 20 projects aimed at installing over 3,000 electric vehicle (EV) chargers across Canada. This initiative is part of the government's efforts to enhance awareness of electric vehicles and improve training and code upgrades related to EV infrastructure.
The funding includes a $1.5 million investment for Plug ’N Drive, which will focus on outreach and education to address challenges in the adoption of zero-emission vehicles (ZEVs). This funding is part of the Zero-Emissions Vehicles Awareness Initiative (ZEVAI) managed by Natural Resources Canada.
Additionally, more than $3.1 million will be allocated through the Green Infrastructure Stream of the Investing in Canada Infrastructure Program. This funding will support community infrastructure projects in British Columbia aimed at reducing greenhouse gas emissions.
The investments align with the Electric Vehicle Availability Standard, which sets targets for ZEV sales in Canada, aiming for all new light-duty vehicle sales to be ZEV by 2035. Since 2020, over $34 billion has been invested by automotive and battery manufacturers in Canada to support the transition to electric vehicle production and establish a battery supply chain. These efforts are expected to create thousands of jobs in the EV sector.
The Government of Canada has also funded a total of 41,799 chargers through its EV infrastructure programs as of August 2024, with over $1 billion allocated for the deployment of charging stations across the country.
