Minister Fortier Announces 133 New Electric Vehicle Chargers Across Ottawa, Echoes 350 ZEV Buses

OTTAWA, ON, June 30, 2023 /CNW/ - Electric vehicles (EVs) help keep our air clean and save drivers money. They also represent a major opportunity for Canadian workers and Canada's economy as we build and power these vehicles right here at home. 

To help drivers feel confident in making the switch to an EV, the Government of Canada is building a coast-to-coast network of charging stations along highways and in public places, on-street, in multi-use residential buildings, at workplaces and for vehicle fleets.

Today, the Honourable Mona Fortier, President of the Treasury Board and Member of Parliament for Ottawa – Vanier and, on behalf of the Honourable Jonathan Wilkinson, Minister of Natural Resources, announced funding to install 133 new EV chargers in Ottawa, including:

• City of Ottawa for 25 Level 2 EV chargers across workplaces in Ottawa;
• Hydro Ottawa Limited for 45 Level 2 EV chargers across workplaces in Ottawa;
• Ottawa Carleton Standard Condominium Corporation 947 for 63 Level 2 EV chargers in a multi-unit residential building in Ottawa.

The 133 EV chargers will be available for use by March 31, 2025, to help EV drivers to get to where they need to go with confidence and ease. Before hitting the roads, Canadians can easily map out their route by consulting Natural Resources Canada's (NRCan) electric charger and alternative fuelling stations locator.

EVs are a win-win for families looking to save money while helping to keep our air clean. For example, drivers could save over $1,000 on fuel and significant costs on maintenance and service per year. And these savings are in addition to those offered by federal and provincial incentive programs to help Canadians with upfront costs, which could amount to $5,000–$10,000 in savings.

Today's announcement represents a combined federal investment of more than $500,000 provided through Natural Resources Canada's Zero-Emission Vehicle Infrastructure Program. Additional funding was provided by the organizations, bringing the total combined project costs to more than $1.6 million.

Earlier this year, the Government of Canada announced funding for the purchase of 350 zero-emissions buses for the City of Ottawa.

Quotes

"I am pleased to announce over 130 new EV chargers across our city. Investments like these are helping families in Ottawa and across the country to make the switch, helping to save on fuel at the pump while ensuring clean air for our kids. This is how we are investing in the future, together."

The Honourable Mona Fortier
President of the Treasury Board and Member of Parliament for Ottawa – Vanier

"We're making electric vehicles more affordable and charging more available where Canadians live, work and play. Investing in more EV chargers, like the ones announced today in Ottawa, will put more Canadians in the driver's seat on the road to a strong, healthy net-zero future."

The Honourable Jonathan Wilkinson 
Minister of Natural Resources

"By investing in infrastructure that supports sustainable transportation, Ottawa is getting closer to achieving our goals to make our city greener. Today's announcement is great news for Ottawa as we move toward a cleaner, healthier city." 

Mark Sutcliffe
Mayor of Ottawa

"We are proud to be a leader in the transition of Canada's transportation infrastructure to zero emissions, and we owe much of our success to the invaluable support of the Zero Emission Vehicle Infrastructure Program (ZEVIP) grant from Natural Resources Canada. This grant has been instrumental in enabling us to install 62 electric vehicle charging stations, allowing people who live in condos in Canada to easily charge their electric vehicles, where other options would be prohibitive. With the help of the ZEVIP grant, we are making significant strides toward a more sustainable future and driving positive change in our community."

George Parry
Condominium Board of Director for the Ottawa Carleton Standard Condominium Corporation 947

"Through the Zero Emissions Vehicle Infrastructure Program, Hydro Ottawa has been able to expand charging infrastructure in the community and at our own facilities, removing barriers associated with EV adoption. This funding allows us to accelerate the installation of charging infrastructure for our fleets and employees transitioning to electric vehicles, and further build upon our commitment to being net-zero operations by 2030 while also supporting the City of Ottawa's climate goals."

Adnan Khokhar
Chief Energy and Infrastructure Services Officer, Hydro Ottawa Holding Inc.

Quick Facts

• Making the shift to EVs is critical to decarbonizing on-road transportation, which accounts for 20 percent of Canada's total greenhouse gas emissions.
• The Incentives for Zero-Emission Vehicles (iZEV) Program provides incentives of up to $5,000 toward the purchase or lease of an eligible vehicle. The iZEV Program has been extended to March 2025 and many different makes and models of vehicles are eligible under the program, including cars, vans and SUVs.
• To date, more than 210,000 incentives to purchase or lease a zero-emission vehicle have been provided to Canadians and Canadian businesses under the iZEV Program. Canadians can also benefit from municipal or provincial rebates for the purchase and installation of residential charging stations.
• Natural Resources Canada's fuel consumption ratings search tool can help drivers identify the EVs that best suit their needs.
• EV charge time varies by the level of charger used. A Level 2 charger has a charge rate of 30 km per hour, whereas a Level 3 charger — typically found on highways for punctual charging — can charge 80 percent of the battery in 15– 30 minutes.
• Over 80 percent of EV owners in Canada charge at home to meet most of their needs.
• In cold weather, preheating an EV while plugged in can improve range loss by up to 20 percent.
• Federal investments are supporting the establishment of a coast-to-coast charging network along highways and the deployment of chargers in local areas where Canadians live, work and play, with over 43,600 EV chargers selected for funding to date.
• Since 2019, NRCan has supported 45 ZEV awareness and education projects from coast to coast with more to come, including on clean fuels and Indigenous ZEV awareness.

Related Information 

• ZEV Resource Hub
• Call for Proposals: ZEVIP funding for Indigenous Organizations
• Ottawa Carleton Standard Condominium Corporation 947
• Hydro Ottawa Limited
• City of Ottawa

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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]