Government of Canada Announces Request for Project Proposals for the Zero-Emission Vehicle Infrastructure Program

OTTAWA, June 21, 2019 /CNW/ - Canadians' quality of life ? and our future economic growth ? are deeply tied to the environment. The Governmen of Canada is investing in a cleaner, more sustainable future to help Canadians meet their transportation needs ? creating a more affordable cost of living, good paying jobs and resilient communities.

Today, Canada's Minister of Natural Resources, the Honourable Amarjeet Sohi, announced that Natural Resources Canada is launching the first request for proposals (RFP) for its Zero Emission Vehicle Infrastructure Program. This will result in a targeted expansion of zero-emission vehicle charging (Level 2 and higher) and refuelling stations where Canadians live, work and play. This RFP will target public places and on-street locations, and will close on September 18, 2019.

Budget 2019 announced $130 million over five years, starting in 2019-20, to deploy new recharging and refueling stations in the following streams: multi-unit residential buildings, workplaces, public spaces and on street parking and for strategic projects for electric vehicle  and/or hydrogen infrastructure in corporate fleets, delivery fleets, and mass transit.

The program expects to launch multiple requests for proposals each year focusing on one or several infrastructure streams and is part of the Government of Canada's more than $180-billion Investing in Canada infrastructure plan.

Canada is committed to a clean energy future that guarantees good middle-class jobs and a strong economy and ensures that our country remains a destination of choice for international investment. This builds on the Generation Energy Council Report submitted to the Government of Canada. The report proposed principles on how to build our energy future in a way that ensures the economy and environment go hand in hand. 

Quotes

"We are making it easier and more affordable for Canadians to own a zero-emission vehicle, and we continue to invest in infrastructure needed for easy charging where we work, live and play. We are committed to improving air quality, lowering day-to-day costs for families and businesses and helping to create a cleaner, greener future.

Amarjeet Sohi, Canada's Minister of Natural Resources

Quick Facts

• Transportation accounts for a quarter of Canada's greenhouse gas emissions, almost half of which come from cars and light-duty trucks. The government is committed to putting more zero-emission vehicles on the road, which offer the potential to significantly reduce greenhouse gas emissions, particularly in the longer term.
• To support the transition to a low-carbon transportation system, the Government of Canada has set targets for sales of zero-emission vehicles in Canada, which are as follows: 10 percent of new light-duty vehicle sales to be zero-emission vehicles by 2025, 30 percent by 2030 and 100 percent by 2040.
• Budget 2019 proposes $300 million, starting in 2019?20, to introduce a new federal purchase incentive program to encourage more Canadians to buy zero-emission vehicles.
• The new Incentives for Zero-Emission Vehicles program provides incentives for battery electric, plug-in hybrid and hydrogen fuel cell vehicles.
• This incentive program is aligned with the expert advice delivered in the interim report of the Advisory Council on Climate Action.

Associated Links

• Budget Plan
• Budget Speech
• ZEVIP Webpage

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SOURCE Natural Resources Canada