New EV Chargers Coming in Rural Counties Surrounding London and South of Georgian Bay in Ontario

LONDON, ON, Feb. 24, 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 Ontario and across the country.

Today, Peter Fragiskatos, Member of Parliament for London North Centre, on behalf of the Honourable Jonathan Wilkinson, Minister of Natural Resources, announced a $2-million investment in EPCOR Utilities Inc. to help install up to 200 electric vehicle (EV) chargers in the rural counties surrounding London Ontario and in the South Georgian Bay area within the coming year.

This investment will go toward Level 2 and Level 3 chargers, which are the fastest of the three classes of charging stations and make EV charging more accessible in these rural areas.

EPCOR Utilities, through its Go EV program, is now accepting applications from businesses, municipalities and multi-unit residential buildings (MURBS) by March 31 to receive up to 50 percent of the costs associated with purchasing and installing charging stations, up to a total of $100,000 each.

After a transparent process based on demand, all EV chargers will then be installed in public places, multi-unit residential buildings, on streets and at workplaces or facilities for servicing light-duty vehicle fleets by March 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 coast-to-coast 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.

The investment today is funded through Natural Resources Canada's Zero-Emission Vehicle Infrastructure Program (ZEVIP).

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 that build a cleaner, healthier and affordable future for all Canadians.

Quotes

"We're making electric vehicles more affordable and charging more accessible for Canadians from coast to coast to coast. Investing in more EV chargers, like the ones announced today in Ontario, 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

"One of the best ways we can cut pollution and fight climate change is by making the switch to electric vehicles. Beyond helping to make electric vehicles as affordable as the conventional alternative, we know it's also about making sure electric vehicles are convenient to charge. Today's announcement of 200 new charging stations makes buying electric even easier for people in Southwestern Ontario and expands the coast-to-coast network of charging stations available."

The Honourable Steven Guilbeault
Minister of Environment and Climate Change

"Transitioning to cleaner and green forms of transportation is a critical step in addressing climate change and moving toward a more sustainable future. This investment will help support up to 200 electric vehicle (EV) chargers in the rural counties surrounding London, Ontario, and in the South Georgian Bay area within the coming year."

Peter Fragiskatos
Member of Parliament for London North Centre

"Working to reduce our environmental footprint is a priority EPCOR shares with the communities we serve, and we are eager to help provide more options for commuters to energize their vehicles. The EPCOR Go EV program is our latest endeavour to support communities toward a sound energy transition for the future. This work will also help us stay at the forefront of providing energy services to our customers and the province."

Susannah Robinson
Vice President, Ontario Region, EPCOR

"Electric vehicle charging infrastructure is key to EV adoption. Building out this infrastructure quickly and thoughtfully is the challenge. Electric Vehicle Society supports the EPCOR Go EV Funding Program in Ontario, supporting Canada's Zero Emission Vehicle Infrastructure Program. South Georgian Bay and Southwestern Ontario are areas where additional EV charging is sorely needed, and EVS applauds the efforts by the Natural Resources Canada, Environment Canada and EPCOR in this endeavour."

Tim Burrows
Producer, Canada Talks Electric Cars Webinar

Quick Facts

• Transportation accounts for 25 percent of total greenhouse gas emissions in Canada.
• Investments in charging infrastructure made so far will result in more than 25,000 new chargers, coast to coast and where Canadians live work and play.
• To date, over 130,000 Canadians and Canadian businesses have taken advantage of the federal incentive to purchase a zero-emission vehicle.
• Electric cars continue to break records around the world — global sales more than doubled in 2021 despite supply chain challenges. As many electric cars are now sold in the space of a week as in the whole year of 2012.
• Level 2 chargers operate at a 208 / 240 V connector, of which many are installed in public places, workplaces, homes and MURBs, translate to an average of 30 km of range per hour charged.
• Level 3 chargers (also known as direct current fast-chargers) use a 480 V system; are installed along the national highway system and in public places, workplaces, on-street, fleets and MURBS; and can provide over 250 km of range per hour charged.

Related Links

• Zero-Emission Vehicle Infrastructure Program
• Electric Vehicle and Alternative Fuel Infrastructure Deployment Initiative
• Zero-Emission Vehicle Awareness Initiative
• Go Green with Electric Vehicles
• 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
• EPCOR Utilities Inc.
• EPCOR Go EV
• International Energy Agency

Environment and Climate Change Canada's Twitter page

Environment and Climate Change Canada's Facebook page

SOURCE Environment and Climate Change Canada

Contacts: Kaitlin Power, Press Secretary, Office of the Minister of Environment and Climate Change, 819-230-1557, [email protected]; Media Relations: Environment and Climate Change Canada, 819-938-3338 or 1-844-836-7799 (toll-free), [email protected]