January 16, 2024 Halifax, Nova Scotia Natural Resources Canada
Making the switch to an electric vehicle (EV) is a win-win for families looking to save money while reducing pollution - from cheaper refuelling to lower maintenance costs, EVs can increase the lifetime of a vehicle by nearly 30 percent. The widespread shift to electric-powered transportation also poses a tremendous economic opportunity, creating manufacturing jobs across Canada to meet demands along the EV value chain.
To help drivers make the switch, the Government of Canada is supporting the deployment of a coast-to-coast-to-coast network of charging stations along highways and in communities' public places, on-street, in multi-use residential buildings, at workplaces and for vehicle fleets. To date, the government has supported the installation of over 43,000 chargers across the country.
Today, Julie Dabrusin, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Energy and Natural Resources and to the Minister of Environment and Climate Change, and Mike Savage, Mayor of the Halifax Regional Municipality, alongside Darren Fisher, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Mental Health and Addictions and Associate Minister of Health and Member of Parliament for Dartmouth-Cole Harbour, as well as Lena Metlege-Diab, Member of Parliament for Halifax West, announced an investment of $980,000 to the Halifax Regional Municipality to install 46 Level 2 and 10 Level 3 fast chargers for a total of 56 chargers at key locations across the Halifax region.
The installation of the chargers is expected to begin in the spring of 2024 to help EV drivers get to where they need to go with confidence and ease. Before hitting the roads, Canadians can easily map out their route by consulting Natural Resources Canada's (NRCan) electric charger and alternative fueling stations locator.
Federal funding for this project was provided through Natural Resources Canada's Zero Emission Vehicle Infrastructure Program. This investment supports commitments included in the recent Electric Vehicle Availability Standard, which proposed to further accelerate the production of zero-emission vehicles (ZEVs). This production aims to increase the supply of ZEVs made available to Canadians, ultimately contributing to the national target of all vehicles sales being ZEV by 2035.
