The Government of Canada is working to develop a low-emissions energy future in order to strengthen the economy, create more middle-class employment, and boost natural resource sectors.
The Honourable Seamus O’Regan Jr., Minister of Natural Resources, and Annie Koutrakis, Member of Parliament for Vimy, announced a number of Canadian investments in natural resources sectors earlier today.
In British Columbia, more than $1.7 million will be invested in the British Columbia Institute of Technology (BCIT) to overcome obstacles to electric vehicle adoption. It will help to expand the EV Charging Network Management System that was developed by the BCIT research team. This group will also develop EV infrastructure solutions to increase interoperability, grid efficiencies, and drivers’ charging experiences.
The government also announced a new DC fast charger is now open in North Vancouver, BC thanks to a $50,000 contribution from Natural Resources Canada.
In Quebec, the Fondation québécoise d’éducation en sécurité routière will obtain a $50,000 investment to begin a campaign targeted at new drivers. It will educate young Quebecers about environmentally-friendly driving and the benefits of electric vehicles.
A second Quebec organization, Recharge Véhicule Électrique, will also obtain $50,000 for a campaign targeted at Canadians who live in multi-unit residential buildings. It will equip and educate residents in order for them to be ready for the arrival of electric vehicles.
Federal grants for British Columbia will be provided through Natural Resources Canada’s Green Infrastructure – Electric Vehicle Infrastructure Demonstration Program. The aim of this programme is to quicken the market entry of next-generation renewable energy technologies. For Quebec, federal funding will come from Natural Resources Canada’s Zero-Emissions Vehicle Awareness Initiative, which seeks to see all new passenger vehicles sold in Canada to be zero-emissions vehicles by 2040.
Currently, the government has spent more than $600 million to make electric vehicles more affordable and charging facilities more available to Canadians. It hopes that by 2050, the country will have achieved net-zero emissions.
