April 6, 2022 St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador Natural Resources Canada
Reducing pollution from the transportation sector is critical to Canada achieving its climate targets. That's why the Government of Canada is supporting Newfoundland and Labrador with more options to drive cleaner, helping Canadians and industry transition to a net-zero future.
Today, the Honourable Jonathan Wilkinson, Minister of Natural Resources, announced a more than $1-million investment in Newfoundland Power Inc. for the takeCHARGE network to install 38 electric vehicles (EV) chargers in Newfoundland and Labrador.
Federal funding is provided through Natural Resources Canada's Electric Vehicle and Alternative Fuel Infrastructure Deployment (EVAFIDI) and Zero-Emission Vehicle Infrastructure Program (ZEVIP). All chargers will be accessible to the public by November 2022. Newfoundland Power Inc. also contributed more than $1.9 million, bringing the total project cost to more than $3 million.
Since 2015, Canada has invested $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 along Canada's highway systems, as well as chargers in local areas where Canadians live, work and play. Federal rebates of up to $5,000 are helping more Canadians make the switch to an EV. The recently announced Emission Reduction Plan is providing a historic investment of over $3 billion in additional zero-emission-vehicle (ZEV)-related funding to help Canada achieve its ambitious sale targets and further reduce emissions from the sector. This investment includes $400 million in additional funding for ZEV charging stations in support of the government's objective of adding 50,000 ZEV chargers to Canada's network. Canada's Infrastructure Bank will also invest $500 million in large-scale ZEV charging and refueling 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.
