Canada’s federal EV infrastructure subsidy program has come under the microscope with the tabling of an audit report by the Commissioner of the Environment and Sustainable Development. As part of his duties, the Commissioner selected ten federal programs to audit for 2023, including the Zero Emissions Vehicle Infrastructure Program.
The key findings in the report are:
- The program has seen three provinces prosper, with 87 per cent of all funded chargers going to Ontario, Quebec and British Columbia
- As of July 2023, 33,887 charging ports that were funded have either been completed or are in construction.
- Natural Resources Canada is on track to meet the program’s target
- There is a significant gap between rural and urban charging infrastructure
The report also provided three recommendations for Natural Resources Canada to consider.
The government has already responded to the audit report, and in that response, the Minister of National Resources said this:
A number of improvements have been made or are underway to improve the program, many of which are in line with the Commissioner of the Environment and Sustainable Development report’s recommendations about reliability, underserved areas, collaboration with the Canada Infrastructure Bank, and pace of funding rollout. Work is already underway to address charging infrastructure gaps and identify targets focused on charger use types that will be in place in 2024…
You can see the full report here: https://www.oag-bvg.gc.ca/internet/English/att__e_44376.html
As well you can take a look at the full government response here: https://www.canada.ca/en/environment-climate-change/news/2023/11/government-of-canadas-response-to-the-reports-tabled-by-the-commissioner-of-the-environment-and-sustainable-development.html
