BURLINGTON, ON, June 30, 2022 /CNW/ - 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.

Today, The Honourable Karina Gould, Minister of Families, Children and Social Development, on behalf of the Honourable Jonathan Wilkinson, Minister of Natural Resources, announced an investment of more than $3.5 million in Baseload Power Corp. to install 31 Level 2 EV chargers and 67 fast chargers across Ontario and Quebec.

Funded through Natural Resources Canada's Zero-Emission Vehicle Infrastructure Program (ZEVIP), all chargers will be available by November 2022. The total project is more than $10.5 million.

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.

Budget 2022 proposes to invest an additional $1.7 billion to extend the government's purchase incentive program until March 2025 and to expand the types of vehicle models eligible under the program, which would include more vans, trucks and SUVs. In support of the government's objective of adding 50,000 zero-emission vehicle (ZEV) chargers to Canada's network, Budget 2022 also provides an additional $400 million to Natural Resources Canada to continue deploying zero-emission vehicle infrastructure by extending the ZEVIP to March 2027, complemented by $500 million that Canada's Infrastructure Bank will invest in large-scale ZEV charging and refuelling infrastructure that is revenue-generating and in the public interest.

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 to build a cleaner, healthier and affordable future for all Canadians.

"We're making electric vehicles more affordable and charging more accessible where Canadians live, work and play. Investing in more EV chargers, like the ones announced today in Ontario, will put more Canadians in the driver's seat on the road to a net-zero future and help achieve our climate goals."

The Honourable Jonathan Wilkinson
Minister of Natural Resources

"Making zero-emission vehicles more affordable and investing in charging stations and infrastructure will mean cleaner air and a healthier environment for future generations. Our government will continue to make innovative investments to fight climate change in Burlington and across the country."

The Honourable Karina Gould
Minister of Families, Children and Social Development, and Member of Parliament for Burlington 

"Baseload Power is excited and appreciative of the opportunity to expand our EV charging network in Ontario and Quebec. Our mission is to increase the accessibility of EV infrastructure to make the transition from gas to electric vehicles more attainable for drivers, and with NRCan's support, we're doing just that."

Jonathan Sandler
President, Baseload Power Corp.

• Transportation accounts for 25 percent of total greenhouse gas emissions in Canada.
• Investments in charging infrastructure made so far will result in more than 25,000 new chargers coast to coast.
• To date, over 136,000 Canadians and Canadian businesses have taken advantage of the federal incentive to purchase a zero-emission vehicle.

• Zero-Emission Vehicle Infrastructure Program
• Electric Vehicle and Alternative Fuel Infrastructure Deployment Initiative
• Zero-Emission Vehicle Awareness Initiative
• Electric Vehicle Infrastructure Demonstration Program
• 2030 Emissions Reduction Plan: Clean Air, Strong Economy
• Travelling with an Electric Vehicle
• Electric Charging and Alternative Fuelling Stations Locator
• Investing in Canada Plan Project Map
• Green Infrastructure programs
• Zero-emission vehicles: Incentives
• Building a green economy: Government of Canada to require 100% of car and passenger truck sales be zero-emission by 2035 in Canada
• Baseload Power Corp.
• AURA EV Charging

Follow us on Twitter: @NRCan (http://twitter.com/nrcan)

SOURCE Natural Resources Canada

View original content: http://www.newswire.ca/en/releases/archive/June2022/30/c3591.html