Making the switch to an electric vehicle (EV) is a win-win for families looking to save money while reducing pollution - due to cheaper refuelling and lower maintenance costs - most EVs cost less than their internal combustion engine counterparts over their lifetime. The widespread shift to electric-powered transportation also poses a tremendous economic opportunity, creating manufacturing jobs across Canada.
Today, Ryan Turnbull, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Innovation, Science and Industry, on behalf of
the Honourable Jonathan Wilkinson, Canada's Minister of Energy and Natural Resources, announced a federal investment of $1.8 million to the Region of Durham to install 174 chargers across the region.
The chargers are expected to be installed by November 2025 and will 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 Charging and Alternative Fuelling Station Locator.
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, federal investments are helping to deploy over 47,000 EV chargers across the country.
Federal funding for these projects 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.
