Applicants to the latest phase of the Zero Emission Vehicle Infrastructure Program have until June 2021 to apply for up to $5 million per project for charging infrastructure focused on public places, on-street, multi-unit residential buildings, workplaces and light-duty vehicle fleets

Natural Resource Canada (NRCan) has launched the newest phase of its zero emission vehicle infrastructure program, with proposal submissions due by June 22.

The Zero Emission Vehicle Infrastructure Program (ZEVIP) is a five-year federal program, ending in 2024, that exists to “address the lack of charging and refuelling stations in Canada; one of the key barriers to ZEV adoption,” according to NRCan. As such, it is an integral part of the federal government’s plans to build more extensive EV charging infrastructure across Canada. 

In this latest round, approximately $40 million has been allocated for infrastructure proposals focused on “public places, on-street, multi-unit residential buildings, workplaces and light-duty vehicle fleets,” according to NRCan’s announcement. Applicants are eligible to receive up to 50 per cent of total project costs, to a maximum of $5 million per project.

Another round of requests for proposals for strategic ZEV infrastructure projects including medium and heavy-duty vehicle fleets is slated to open in April 2021.

Application specs 

There is a wide range of entities eligible for ZEVIP, including academic institutions, companies registered both in Canada and abroad, as well as provincial, territorial, regional or municipal governments. 

Applicants must propose projects located in Canada, and charging infrastructure must meet certain charging speed criteria. Projects must be completed within 30 to 36 months from the date of agreement signature — a 12-month extension due to COVID-19 supply chain and operational disruptions.

The ZEVIP program has previously funded projects ranging from $1.5 million for IGA supermarket charging stations in Quebec and New Brunswick to B.C. Hydro’s $325,000 project for building 65 public and on-street EV charging stations across the province. 

Other project funding recipients include cities like Guelph, Calgary, Hamilton and Whistler, universities and postsecondary institutions in Ontario and B.C., and various residential buildings across the country.

Eligible applicants for this latest round can submit their proposal by email, which NRCan’s site says it prefers, or by mail, including relevant files. NRCan will announce funding decisions by October 2021.