ZEVIP funding for 122 recipients and more than 8,000 chargers, with $7.2 million for 30 EV education projects, will complement the previously announced $1.5 billion in loans for Charging and Hydrogen Refuelling Infrastructure Initiative

On the heels of a major shift in electric vehicle policy last week, the Canadian government yesterday has announced details of more investment in EV charging infrastructure across the country. 

Up to $84.4 million will be earmarked for 122 projects that will install more than 8,000 new EV chargers through the Zero Emission Vehicle Infrastructure Program (ZEVIP). Of the recipients of the funding, condominium and strata corporations make up the largest criteria block by number at 25. The list also contains municipalities and regions, port and logistics operators, charging networks, non-profits and industry associations, among others.

Pollution Probe Foundation, a non-profit charitable organization, tops the funding list at $7,300,000 for 495 chargers, while York Region Standard Condominium Corporation 1329 is the lowest at $39,900 for 20 chargers.

In addition, $7.2 million will go towards 30 EV educational and awareness projects, including 11 led by Indigenous organizations and communities. Tim Hodgson, Energy and Natural Resources Minister, Julie Dabrusin, Environment, Climate Change and Nature Minister, and Steven MacKinnon, Minister of Transport and Government House Leader, made the announcement today in Ottawa. 

Part of a national strategy

In last week’s announcement, Prime Minister Mark Carney announced $1.5 billion in new funding to expand EV charging stations across the country through the Canada Infrastructure Bank’s (CIB) Charging and Hydrogen Refuelling Infrastructure Initiative (CHRI). The funding, he said, is part of a broader national charging infrastructure strategy that Hodgson says will be released this fall.

According to Natural Resources Canada (NRCan), as of Feb. 2 there were 30,494 charge ports at 12,073 stations across Canada. A 2024 study by NRCan and Dunsky found that the country will need 679,000 public charging ports by 2040 to accommodate what was then expected to be 21 million electric vehicles.

Will ZEVIP be extended?

ZEVIP was introduced in 2019 with an original budget of $280 million over five years. In 2022 the program was given an additional $400 million and extended to March 31, 2027. It offers funding that covers 50 per cent of the total project cost for public chargers to a maximum of $2 million per project. It had also provided half the total project costs to a maximum of $5 million for delivery organizations and 75 per cent of project costs up to $2 million for Indigenous organizations, but those programs have since closed to new applications. 

ZEVIP has a target of installing 84,500 chargers and 45 hydrogen fuel stations by 2029. When asked if the program will be extended past 2027, Hodgson replied: “We’ll spend the money and in 2027 we’ll see where we are.”

The CHRI offers interest-free loans for the construction of fast charging or hydrogen refuelling infrastructure for projects costing at least $20 million. Repayments are tied to infrastructure use: the more the assets are used, the higher the repayments, and vice-versa. 

Today’s announcement also included $5.7 million for three projects through the Green Freight Program, aimed at helping conventional diesel- and gas-powered commercial trucks lower their greenhouse gas emissions.  

Editor’s note: this article has been updated to correctly attribute the quote Minister Hodgson.