Canada Invests in New Fast and Ultra-Fast EV Chargers in Quebec

July 28, 2021                                            Laval, Quebec                                            Natural Resources Canada

The Government of Canada is making it easier for Canadians to drive electric — transforming the way Canadians get to where they need to go.

Today, the Honourable Steven Guilbeault, Minister of Canadian Heritage and Member of Parliament for Laurier–Sainte-Marie and Brenda Shanahan, Member of Parliament for Châteauguay—Lacolle, Quebec, on behalf of the Honourable Seamus O’Regan Jr., Minister of Natural Resources, announced a $9,490,000 investment to Hydro-Québec to install 215 electric vehicle (EV) fast chargers across the province to put Canadians in the driver’s seat on the road to a net-zero future. Hydro-Québec is also contributing $10,706,000 toward this initiative, bringing the total project cost to $20,196,000.

Funded through Natural Resources Canada’s (NRCan) Electric Vehicle and Alternative Fuel Infrastructure Deployment Initiative and Zero-Emission Vehicle Infrastructure Program, all fast chargers will be deployed at the latest by 31 December, 2022. Close to 65 percent of these chargers are already in service and can be used by the public.

Minister Guilbeault also announced a $1,264,000 investment to Hydro-Québec to address barriers to EV adoption. Using test benches, the state-owned public utility will test ultra-fast new generation EV charging stations to assess different manufacturers’ charging technologies in real-world conditions and collect vital information about grid infrastructure. Hydro-Québec and the Government of Quebec also invested in the project, bringing the total funding to $3,097,721. The federal funding for this project was provided through NRCan’s Green Infrastructure – Electric Vehicle Infrastructure Demonstration Program, which aims to accelerate the market entry of next-generation clean energy technologies.

These contributions from the Government of Canada support Quebec’s vision and efforts to remain a leader in transportation electrification and sustainable mobility.

Canada has invested over $1 billion so far to make EVs more affordable and charging infrastructure more accessible. These investments have led to the establishment of a coast-to-coast network of fast chargers and installing chargers in localized areas. The government also provides incentives of up to $5,000 to help Canadians buy EVs and full tax write-offs for businesses purchasing them.

These investments support Canada’s new mandatory target of 100-percent zero-emission light-duty vehicle sales by 2035. Driving down transportation emissions is critical to achieving Canada’s ambitious climate change targets and requires a combination of investments and regulations to support Canadians and industry in this transition.

The government supports green infrastructure projects that create good, middle-class jobs and get us to net-zero emissions by 2050.