Feds investing $62.5M in electric charging stations, alternative fuel infrastructure
by Cleantech Canada Staff
Canadian government aims to build 70 fast-charging stations, as well as handful of natural gas and hydrogen refueling stops
The Canadian government is looking to amp up electric vehicle usage in Canada by investing millions in charging infrastructure and charging research and development. PHOTO: Mariordo, via Wikimedia Commons
OTTAWA—The federal government is taking aim at the nearly one-quarter of Canada’s greenhouse gas emissions that stem from the transportation sector.
As part of a broader agenda aimed at driving the country’s clean economy forward, Canada’s Minister of Natural Resources, Jim Carr, has announced $62.5 million in funding for two programs designed to help battery electrics and alternatively-fueled cars earn a more prominent place on the road.
“By investing in electric vehicle technology and infrastructure, we will provide national leadership on climate change and grow our economy,” Carr said. “I look forward to witnessing the ingenuity and entrepreneurial sense of our potential partners through their project proposals.”
The government plans to direct $16.4 million of the total to deploy about 70 Level 3 fast-charging stations, as well as six natural gas and two hydrogen refueling stations along key transport corridors across the country.
Intending to partner with private companies or provincial governments on the project, the feds will cover up to 50 per cent of projects costs. Along with announcing the investment, the Canadian government issued a request for proposals, calling on interested parties to together applications to participate in the program. The government expects to award contracts later this year, while the stations are slated to be up and running no later than March 2018.
Meanwhile, the larger portion of the funds will be put toward research and development.
Looking to lower costs and put more Canadians behind the wheels of EVs, the government is setting aside $46.1 million to fund demonstration projects that employ next-generation charging technologies. With funding available for projects ranging from $3 million to $20 million, a request for proposals is open to Canadian companies, academic institutions and industry associations, among others until July 18.
The funding announcement follows a $20 million electric charging commitment announced by the province of Ontario last month, which will see chargers installed at more than 250 locations, as well as a flurry of recent EV charger installations throughout Quebec.
