#EVWeek in Canada: Minister MacAulay Announces $2M in Funding for New Chargers in Prince Edward Island

MONTAGUE, PE, July 12, 2022 /CNW/ - 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 Prince Edward Island and across the country.

Today as part of #EVWeek in Canada, the Honourable Lawrence MacAulay, Minister of Veterans Affairs and Associate Minister of National Defence, on behalf of the Honourable Jonathan Wilkinson, Minister of Natural Resources, announced a $2-million investment to the Government of Prince Edward Island's Ministry of the Environment, Energy and Climate Action to help support the installation of up to 250 EV chargers across the island.

This investment, which will make EV charging more accessible to all, is funded through Natural Resources Canada's Zero-Emission Vehicle Infrastructure Program (ZEVIP). 

The Government of Prince Edward Island will select recipients through a transparent process, based on demand. The EV chargers will then be installed in public places, multi-unit residential buildings, on streets, at workplaces or at facilities for servicing light-duty vehicle fleets by December 2023.

Since 2015, 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.

Quotes

"Happy EV Week, Canada. Our Government is making electric vehicles more affordable and charging more accessible where Canadians live, work and play. Investing in more EV chargers, like the ones announced today in Prince Edward Island, will put more Canadians in the driver's seat on the road to a net-zero future and help achieve our climate goals."

The Honourable Jonathan Wilkinson 
Minister of Natural Resources 

"As Islanders, we are on the front line of climate change. Today's investment will help both the environment and our provincial economy.  Islanders and tourists alike want to know they can charge up to enjoy PEI to the fullest. Adding these 250 charging stations will go a long way to improving electric driving on the Island and bring us closer to the zero-emission travel that we need to provide a sustainable province, country, and world for our kids and grandkids."

The Honourable Lawrence MacAuley
Minister of Veterans Affairs and Associate Minister of National Defence

"As we work toward reaching our ambitious net-zero goals, we recognize that we need to make driving electric easier for Islanders. Having accessible charging infrastructure is a huge step in this direction. We want to support Islanders as they transition away from fossil fuels. We appreciate the continued partnership with our federal counterparts in making this happen."

The Honourable Steven Myers
Prince Edward Island's Minister of Environment, Energy and Climate Action

Quick Facts

• Transportation accounts for 25 percent of total greenhouse gas emissions in Canada.
• Moving to zero-emission vehicles through regulations and investments is a significant part of Canada's $9.1-billion Emissions Reduction Plan to meet Canada's Paris Agreement target for 2030 and get on track for net-zero emissions by 2050.
• Investments in charging infrastructure made so far will result in more than 33,000 new chargers coast to coast. 
• To date, over 150,000 Canadians and Canadian businesses have taken advantage of the federal incentive to purchase zero-emission vehicles. 

Related Links

• Advancing the future of electric vehicles
• Zero-Emission Vehicle Infrastructure Program
• Zero-Emission Vehicle Awareness Initiative
• Electric Vehicle and Alternative Fuel Infrastructure Deployment Initiative
• 2030 Emissions Reduction Plan: Clean Air, Strong Economy 
• Travelling with an Electric Vehicle 
• Electric Charging and Alternative Fuelling Stations Locator
• Electric Vehicle Infrastructure Demonstration Program
• Investing in Canada Plan Project Map
• Green Infrastructure programs
• Zero-emission vehicles: Incentives
• Building a green economy: Government of Canada to require 100% of car and passenger truck sales be zero-emission by 2035 in Canada
• Incentives for Medium- and Heavy-Duty Vehicles Program
• PEI Ministry of the Environment, Energy and Climate Action

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SOURCE Natural Resources Canada

Natural Resources Canada, Media Relations, 343-292-6100, [email protected]; Keean Nembhard, Press Secretary, Office of the Minister of Natural Resources, 613-323-7892, [email protected]