IKEA Canada invests in electric vehicle charging infrastructure
by CM staff
Funding from Government of Canada supports the retailer's goal of 100 per cent zero-emission home deliveries by 2025.
GoBolt truck recharges at a new commercial charging station at IKEA Ottawa (CNW Group/IKEA Canada)
BURLINGTON — IKEA Canada announced the expansion of its electric vehicle charging network with the addition of 25 charging stations at five IKEA locations in Ontario and Quebec. In 2022, the home furnishing retailer secured funding of $300,000 from Natural Resources Canada’s Zero Emissions Vehicle Infrastructure Program (ZEVIP) to install 25 EV chargers in Ontario and Quebec.
IKEA also invested over $305,000 of its own funds to install charging stations at several locations including IKEA stores in Montreal, Boucherville, Quebec City, and Ottawa, as well as at its Distribution Centre in Beauharnois, Quebec. This investment supports the goal of IKEA to reach 100 per cent zero-emission home deliveries by 2025 and a 50 per cent reduction in co-worker and customer emissions by 2030. IKEA currently has EV charging stations at 14 stores across Canada.
“Through the ZEVIP program, we were able to accelerate our investment in the long-term future of our business, our fulfillment network, and our partnerships with transport service providers which use zero-emission delivery vehicles,” says Crystal Rasa, Head of Fulfilment Sourcing, IKEA Canada. “As a business whose operations have a direct effect on people’s lives and the environment, and which can contribute to a positive change, we are taking responsibility. Our ambition is to not only move IKEA forward, but to inspire and drive change for our communities and society.”
The successful installation of four commercial EV charging stations at the IKEA Ottawa store marked a milestone in the retailer’s efforts to reduce its climate footprint. With these charging stations, GoBolt, the last-mile delivery partner, was able to begin using two EV delivery trucks for home deliveries in Ottawa. In a similar move, IKEA and another last-mile delivery partner, Metro Supply Chain, installed a mobile EV charging centre at the IKEA Coquitlam, BC store in the fall of 2022, enabling the operation of three EV delivery trucks in the region.
“We’re making electric vehicles more affordable and charging more accessible where Canadians live, work and play,” said the Honourable Jonathan Wilkinson, Minister of Natural Resources. “Investing in more EV chargers, like the ones announced in Quebec and Ontario, will put more Canadians in the driver’s seat on the road to a net-zero future and help achieve our climate goals.”
