Nearly 2,400 EV chargers to be installed in B.C., with most slated for Greater Vancouver

Jonathan Wilkinson, Canada's natural resources minister, announced nearly $19 million in federal funding to support the installation of more than 2,400 electric vehicle chargers across B.C. on Feb. 24, 2023. Greater Vancouver is where the majority of new stations are slated to be installed. (CTV)

Canada's government is investing nearly $19 million to make driving electric vehicles more accessible across British Columbia.

The federal funding will go towards installing close to 2,400 additional electric vehicle chargers — most of which will be installed in Greater Vancouver, the minister of natural resources announced Friday morning.

“These chargers will make it so much easier for drivers to get to where they need to go and to reduce range anxiety, which was something that inhibited the deployment of vehicles for a number of years,” Jonathan Wilkinson said during a news conference at a charging station in East Vancouver.

Wilkinson says that anxiety is slowly going away through initiatives like Natural Resources Canada’s Zero-Emission Vehicle Infrastructure Program (ZEVIP), as well as its Electric Vehicle Infrastructure Program.

A total of 26 projects province-wide — led by municipalities, multi-residential buildings, businesses and utilities – will benefit from the federal investment, according to Natural Resources Canada.

ZEVIP is a $680-million initiative that aims to ramp up the number of localized charging and hydrogen refueling options across Canada, and is set to end in 2027.

Meanwhile the EVID program’s objective is to support the development of innovative clean energy infrastructure.

To date, the federal government has invested more than $1 billion to support increased adoption of zero-emission vehicles.

During Friday’s announcement, Wilkinson commended British Columbia for having the highest rates of electric vehicle uptake in the country, which he says is largely due to support from Ottawa and the provincial government.

Through the CleanBC Go Electric program, for example, the province has committed more than $288 million in funding to support ZEV adoption since 2011.

On Friday, B.C.’s government provided an additional $2.2 million for the installation of public chargers.

“There’s going to be a lot more partnerships like this in the future,” Wilkinson said, laying out two paths Canada can take while fighting climate change.

“One in which we have an effective and thoughtful plan for the future, embracing the economic opportunities that come with building a prosperous low-carbon economy and leaving a healthy planet for our children and our grandchildren,” Wilkinson said.

The other option, according to the minister, is for Canada to hope for the best and allow competitors to seize those opportunities instead, resulting in future generations growing up in a much more challenging environment.

“Your federal government has chosen the former, and we want to work with you every step of the way,” Wilkinson said.