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.

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.

Applications being accepted

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.