Minister Wilkinson Announces Over 500 New Public EV Chargers Across Toronto

TORONTO, Feb. 28, 2024 /CNW/ - Making the switch to an electric vehicle (EV) is a win-win for families looking to save money while reducing pollution ? due to cheaper refuelling to lower maintenance costs, most EVs cost less than their internal combustion engine counterparts over their lifetime. Canadian leadership across the EV supply chain represents an enormous economic opportunity, creating good manufacturing jobs across Canada.

Today, the Honourable Jonathan Wilkinson, Canada's Minister of Energy and Natural Resources, announced a federal investment of nearly $5 million to install over 500 new EV chargers, including 40 fast chargers across the City of Toronto.

The chargers are expected to be installed by December 2025 and will help EV drivers 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) Charging and Alternative Fuelling Station Locator.

To help drivers make the switch, the Government of Canada is supporting the deployment of a coast-to-coast-to-coast network of charging stations along highways and in communities' public places, on-street, in multi-use residential buildings, at workplaces and for vehicle fleets. To date, federal investments are helping to deploy over 43,000 EV chargers across the country ??particularly in public spaces where they are most needed.

This investment supports commitments included in the recent, which aims to further accelerate the Canadian leadership in building and driving zero-emission vehicles (ZEVs), ultimately contributing to the national targets of all vehicles sales being ZEV by 2035 and of creating thousands of sustainable jobs across the EV value chain.

The Government of Canada has secured investments in the EV supply chain across Ontario, including:

• Volkswagen's $7 billion investment to establish its first overseas electric vehicle battery manufacturing plant in St. Thomas, Ontario
• A multi-billion dollar project with automaker Stellantis will support plants in Windsor and Brampton, Ontario, implementing flexible vehicle platforms at both plants and increasing its production of electric vehicles (EV)
• General Motors investing over $2 billion at its Oshawa and CAMI assembly plants and launching Canada's first full-scale commercial electric vehicle production facility at the CAMI Assembly Plant in Ingersoll
• An investment of over $5 billion in a facility to manufacture batteries for EVs in Canada, located in Windsor, Ontario
• Toyota Motor Manufacturing Canada's $1.4billion investment in its Cambridge and Woodstock plants, which will support more than 8,000 jobs in Southwestern Ontario, and will create 450 new jobs
• Ford Motor Company of Canada's investment in its Oakville Assembly Complex, which will help secure 5,400 jobs
• Umicore's investment that will create over 600 jobs in Eastern Ontario and strengthen Canada's end-to-end electric vehicle supply chain

"We're making electric vehicles more affordable and charging more available where Canadians live, work and play. Investing in more EV chargers, including the over 500 that we announced today in Toronto, will put Canadians in the driver's seat on the road to a strong, healthy net-zero future." 

The Honourable Jonathan Wilkinson 
Minister of Energy and Natural Resources

"Federal investment is helping to build a more sustainable future for Toronto. That includes working to expand EV infrastructure across the country, like these over 500 new chargers we are deploying across Toronto, making it easier to switch to an EV. Together, we can achieve Canada's goal of reaching net zero by 2050."

Julie Dabrusin
Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Natural Resources and to the Minister of Environment and Climate Change

"Today's announcement marks a significant step toward a more sustainable and greener future with the installation of over 500 new EV chargers in Toronto. As Canada leads the way in the EV supply chain, we're creating economic opportunities and sustainable jobs across the country. Transitioning to electric vehicles not only saves money but also reduces pollution, contributing to our national targets for zero-emission vehicle sales by 2035."

Julie Dzerowicz
Member of Parliament for Davenport

"Toronto is an environmental leader. Torontonians are proud of the progress we are making to make the city clean, green and sustainable. This type of partnership with the federal government will speed up our ambitious plans to make our city's fleet net-zero."

Olivia Chow
Mayor, City of Toronto

• On-road transportation accounts for about 18 percent of Canada's total greenhouse gas emissions.
• Phasing in 100-percent new electric vehicle sales by 2035 is projected to reduce over 360 million tonnes of greenhouse gas emissions by 2050, avoiding almost $100 billion in global damages.
• The Government of Canada has allocated over $1 billion in funding to support the deployment of electric vehicle charging stations across the country.
• The Zero Emission Vehicle Infrastructure Program provides funding to support the installation of EV chargers in multi-use residential buildings, at workplaces, on-street, at public places and where EV fleets are serviced.
• The Canada Infrastructure Bank's (CIB) Charging and Hydrogen Refuelling Infrastructure initiative was created to invest in large-scale ZEV charging and hydrogen refuelling infrastructure across Canada that is revenue generating and in the public interest.
• To date, the Canada Infrastructure Bank has announced funding for 4,000 fast chargers through two projects with Flo and Parklands.
• The Government of Canada's incentives for Zero-Emission Vehicles (iZEV) Program has provided over 300,000 incentives of up to $5,000 to help Canadians and Canadian businesses make the switch.
• Provincial incentive programs are also becoming available to help more Canadians purchase or lease an EV.
• Over 50 models qualify for the federal iZEV purchase incentive in 2023, which is an 80-percent increase from 2019.
• Before hitting the roads, Canadians can map out their route by consulting Natural Resources Canada's electric charger and alternative fuelling stations locator.

• ZEV Resource Hub
• Zero-emission vehicle infrastructure funding
• Charging and Hydrogen Refuelling Infrastructure initiative
• 2030 Emissions Reduction Plan: Clean Air, Strong Economy
• Canada's Electric Vehicle Availability Standard (regulated targets for zero-emission vehicles)
• Sustainable Jobs Plan

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SOURCE Natural Resources Canada