Ontario to Build Nearly 500 New EV Charging Stations in 2017

It’s getting harder and harder to find excuses why full battery-electric vehicles aren’t a viable choice for drivers in Ontario.

With at least a trio of upcoming EVs set to launch in the next year or two that will offer at least 300 kms of range and will be priced around $30 – $35K, the arguments that battery-electric vehicles are too limited in range and too expensive are quickly becoming outdated.  The one argument that still does hold some merit is with respect to a lack of sufficient charging infrastructure as EV charging stations are not yet as plentiful as they need to be.

The Ontario government has just announced that in 2017 they plan to try and do something about that.

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The province is investing $20 million from Ontario’s Green Investment Fund to build nearly 500 electric vehicle (EV) charging stations at over 250 locations in Ontario in 2017.

” This is great news for drivers in Ontario. By investing in charging infrastructure that is fast, reliable and affordable we will encourage more Ontarians to purchase electric vehicles, reducing greenhouse gas pollution and keeping our air clean” notes Transport Minister Steven Del Duca.

Through the $20 million Electric Vehicle Chargers Ontario (EVCO) grant program, the province is working with 27 public and private sector partners to create a network of fast-charging electric vehicle stations in cities, along highways and at workplaces, condominiums and public places across Ontario.

The current plans call for 280 Level 2 chargers and 213 Level 3 DC Fast Chargers to be built across the province.  Level 2 chargers can fully charge most EVs within a 4-6 hour time frame.  Level 3 DC Fast Chargers can charge EVs equipped with a Level 3 charge plug up to 80% of a full charge within about 30 minutes.

This expansion in charging infrastructure across the province will help address “range anxiety,” a common concern of consumers regarding the distance electric vehicles can travel compared to traditional vehicles. By building a more robust network of public chargers across Ontario, electric vehicle owners can now plan longer trips with more confidence that a charging station is as readily available as a gas station is.

SEE ALSO:  Chevy Volt wins 2016 Canadian Green Car Award

A shift to low- and zero-emission vehicles is vital to the fight against climate change and achieving Ontario’s greenhouse gas pollution reduction target of 80 per cent below 1990 levels by 2050.

Ontario’s Minister of the Environment and Climate Change, Glen Murray sees this investment as a key part of meeting the province’s targets on greenhouse gas reductions. ” Successfully fighting climate change requires fundamental shifts in how we move, live and work. These partnerships demonstrate a collective need for transformation and the determination to make it happen. This investment is just one of the many ways we are helping people and businesses make cleaner choices today for a better tomorrow.”

Fighting climate change while supporting growth, efficiency and productivity is part of the government’s economic plan to build Ontario up and deliver on its number-one priority to grow the economy and create jobs. The four-part plan includes investing in talent and skills, including helping more people get and create the jobs of the future by expanding access to high-quality college and university education. The plan is making the largest investment in public infrastructure in Ontario’s history and investing in a low-carbon economy driven by innovative, high-growth, export-oriented businesses. The plan is also helping working Ontarians achieve a more secure retirement.

Eric Novak

About Eric Novak

Eric Novak is a father of 4 who also thinks that environmental stewardship is a requisite of parenting. He's not a professional Dad nor is he an environmental scientist, but he's someone who gives a damn and is trying to make the right decisions as he lives his life as a father, environmentalist, part time professor and business owner. Eric has 4 children and resides in Ajax, Ontario.