Twenty-two organizations from coast-to-coast are getting up to $300,000 each in funding for projects designed to accelerate zero-emission vehicle adoption and awareness

Natural Recourses Canada (NRCan) is continuing its efforts to promote zero-emission vehicle adoption and education by investing over $4.6 million in funding support of ZEV awareness projects across Canada.

The funding, which is coming from the federal Zero-Emission Vehicle Awareness Initiative, will be divided between 22 organizations.

“Through [this] investment, we’re equipping Canadians with the awareness and knowledge they need to confidently make the switch to a zero-emission vehicle,” said Jonathan Wilkinson, Minister of Natural Resources in a press statement.

“Ensuring easy access to ZEVs across Canada is a critical part of our plan to lower emissions and achieve our international climate goals. Through these and similar investments, we are putting more Canadians in the driver’s seat on the road to a net-zero future.”

Funding ZEV adoption in the prairies

In a virtual press conference, Julie Dabrusin, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Natural Resources and the Minister of Environment and Climate Change announced the first recipient of the government’s investments will be Winnipeg-based Eco-West Canada.

The not-for-profit organization, which has been working on promoting electric vehicle adoption as a way to reduce GHG emissions since 2017, will receive $300,000 to launch a series of webinars and workshops to promote electric vehicles in municipalities across Manitoba and Saskatchewan.

“We’ve seen so many times before, we need to work together in developing creative solutions that will work for us here in the prairies [and] allow our communities to identify the zero-emission vehicle technologies that best meet their needs, at the same time as allowing them to develop the business case and access the funding needed in order to facilitate this transition,” said Dany Robidoux, executive director at Eco-West in the virtual announcement.

A large part of Eco-West’s plans, says Robidoux, will be to share knowledge and learn about the successful adoption of zero-emission initiatives from other municipalities, including those from British Columbia and Quebec.

“Whether it’d be about plug-in, electric or hydrogen fuel cells, these types of initiatives are many in Manitoba and in the prairies. The municipalities and their partners have a lot to consider when planning the transition to a carbon-neutral future when it comes to vehicles, and we look forward to helping them along this journey,” said Robidoux.

In Winnipeg, Red River College will also get $225,000 for research and distribution of informational material on EV chargers in workplaces.

Alternative fuel demonstrations

In Alberta, $300,000 will be provided to the Alberta Motor Transport Association (AMTA) to create Canada’s first public demonstration project for powering heavy-duty vehicles with hydrogen in Rocky View, Alta.

“AMTA and its project partners (Hyzon Motors, Hydra Energy and the Nikola Corporation) will introduce…innovative new technologies that will raise awareness of how [they] can help reduce greenhouse gas emissions, enhance operational efficiencies, and support day to day business,” said AMTA president Chris Nash at the virtual conference.

With the demonstration, AMTA plans to develop and deliver training programs and tools to drivers, first responders and to the community. They hope to collect enough data to advance commercial vehicle regulations and policies aimed to provide evidence-based recommendations and solutions when operating with alternative and energy-efficient fuels to government and stakeholders, said Nash.

“These demonstrations will offer many significant benefits, including advancing net-zero mobility, providing commercial drivers with hydrogen technology experiences, improving supporting road safety, reducing risks associated with hydrogen adoption and showcasing hydrogen to all levels of government, industry stakeholders in the broader community,” said Nash.

During the conference, Dabrusin noted that five additional projects in Alberta will be receiving more than $970,000 in combined total funding, to support their EV awareness initiatives.

The Biosphere Institute of the Bow Valley in Canmore is getting $50,000 to design and implement a series of ZEV-related webinars.

The Fort Chipewyan-based Three Nations Energy GP Inc. will use its $147,810 to raise awareness around the benefits of EVs and promote the adoption of electric trucks and vans in its communities.

A total of $225,970 will be provided to the  Green Learning Canada Foundation, where 65 young Albertans are planning to develop a pilot education program that supports the electrification of transportation.

The City of Edmonton is receiving $250,000 to organize trade shows and workshops that will raise awareness of ZEVs and charging infrastructure.

And a final $299,902 will be given to Calgary’s Environmental Careers Organization of Canada to engage rural, remote and Indigenous communities across Canada to inform, educate, and provide resources that will increase awareness, knowledge and confidence in ZEVs.

Fourteen more initiative projects

Beyond the central Canadian provinces, the federal government is funding ZEV adoption and awareness efforts by 15 other organizations from across Canada, said Dabrusin.

The recipients are:

Atlantic:

• Eastern Charlotte Waterways Inc. (Blacks Harbour, New Brunswick) — $71,560 to increase knowledge and awareness of EVs while lowering community’s GHG emissions;
• New Brunswick Lung Association (Fredericton, New Brunswick) — $238,900 to promote the benefits and correct misconceptions around low-carbon commuting, as well as collaborate with organizations across Atlantic Canada with a goal to increase EV adoption in the region; and
• Upcycle Green Technology – Auto Shop Inc. — $128,448 to promote ZEVs adoption in Atlantic Canada with the use of digital media and engagement sessions.

Quebec:

• Mohawk Council of Akwesasne — $291,030 to install and promote EV chargers as part of the beginning of Phase 1 of a multi-phased project;
• Hydro-Québec — $297,270 to promote the advantages of driving electric through various activities, events and workshops; and
• Fondation québécoise d’éducation en sécurité routière (Laval) – $300,000 to organize a single large event to raise EV awareness, and to educate and build public confidence.

Ontario:

• McMaster University (Hamilton) — $101,775 to develop educational tools and to promote best practices to support ZEV fleet adoption awareness in transit applications;
• Volta Research (Toronto) — $150,000 to raise awareness about Vehicle-to-Grid (V2G) opportunities and benefits with current and prospective EV owners;
• EcoSchools Canada (Toronto) — $157,412 to bring awareness of ZEVs and low carbon commuting to young drivers across Canada with new tools and resources;
• Wyse Meter Solutions Inc. (Concord) — $187,500 to showcase EV technology and infrastructure deployment options available for property owners and residents;
• H2GO Canada Inc. (Toronto) — $300,000 to to target knowledge barriers to the adoption of fuel cell electric vehicles among commercial truck, transit bus and taxi/limo fleet operators; and
• City of Toronto — $300,000 to raise awareness around EV adoption and EV technology options within the greater Toronto area.

British Columbia:

• Community Energy Association (Vancouver) — $100,000 to address a gap in current ZEV outreach initiatives to Indigenous communities and to employ Indigenous values and priorities in guiding the implementation of ZEV awareness activities for these communities; and
• Capital Regional District (Victoria) — $224,000 to increase knowledge of the advantages of owning EVs and e-bikes by development of a ZEV mobile demonstration unit.