With the electric vehicle market heating up, Canadian provinces are being called to invest in EV charging infrastructure to make it easier for consumers to make the switch to electric. Last week, the federal government has pledged $1.7 million to fund the installation of 128 electric vehicle (EV) charging stations in British Columbia, part of a $3.6 million overall investment with the BC provincial government.
According to the announcement made by Natural Resources Minister Johathan Wilkinson in Burnaby, $1.2 million will be allocated for the addition of 28 new public EV chargers, which will be strategically positioned along major highways in B.C. These chargers are expected to be open for public use this winter.
The B.C. Ministry of Transportation is then adding the remaining $2.4 million to the $3.6 million. In addition, $500,000 of federal money will fund the installation of 100 Level 2 chargers at Burnaby city hall for the city’s vehicle fleet. The total cost of this project is $1.1 million, with the remainder funded by the City of Burnaby.
Currently, the federal and provincial governments have set 2035 as the target for when all new passenger vehicles sold must be zero-emission. In 2021, ZEVs accounted for 13 per cent of all new light-duty vehicle sales in B.C., which marks the highest rate of ZEV adoption in North America. It is estimated there are more than 79,000 ZEVs on BC roads.
