Minister Carr Announces New Electric Vehicle and Alternative Fuel Infrastructure Initiative

OTTAWA, May 10, 2016 /CNW/ - Canadians will soon have access to more electric car and alternative fuel infrastructure thanks to support from the Government provided through Budget 2016. This will result in more charging and refuelling stations for electric and alternative fuel vehicles, supporting more low-carbon vehicles on our roads.

Canada's Minister of Natural Resources, the Honourable Jim Carr, today announced that the Government of Canada is requesting proposals to support electric vehicle and alternative fuel infrastructure projects. The funding aims not only to support efforts to increase the number of electric vehicle charging units but also to find ways to make electric vehicle infrastructure better in the future.

The Government will invest $16.4 million to increase access to commercially ready electric vehicle fast-charging units as well as natural gas and hydrogen fuelling stations along key transportation corridors. In addition, $46.1 million will be invested to support the development and demonstration of next-generation electric vehicle charging infrastructure.

These historic investments will help meet the objectives of addressing climate change and help transition our nation to a low-carbon economy built on clean growth. The greater use of lower-carbon vehicles will help decrease emissions from the transportation sector.

The Government of Canada will continue to support a clean-growth economy that will help Canada take advantage of new global opportunities associated with clean technologies to grow our economy, access markets and create jobs.

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"Throughout Canada's history, our prosperity has been built on innovation and a desire to do things better. By investing in electric vehicle technology and infrastructure, we will provide national leadership on climate change and grow our economy. I look forward to witnessing the ingenuity and entrepreneurial sense of our potential partners through their project proposals."

Jim Carr
Canada's Minister of Natural Resources

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SOURCE Natural Resources Canada

Alexandre Deslongchamps, Press Secretary, Office of the Minister of Natural Resources, 343-292-6837; Media Relations, Natural Resources Canada, Ottawa, 343-292-6100