Ottawa (Rajeev Sharma): The federal government is moving to significantly expand Canada’s electric vehicle charging network in a bid to reduce range anxiety and encourage more drivers to switch to EVs.
On Tuesday, the ministers of environment, energy and transport are expected to announce an investment of 84.4 million dollars to support the installation of more than 8,000 new public charging stations across the country. The funding is part of a broader effort to prepare Canada for a rapid increase in electric vehicle adoption over the next decade.
In addition to charging infrastructure, the government will allocate 5.7 million dollars to three initiatives under the Green Freight program, which focuses on lowering emissions from the trucking sector through steps such as adopting low-carbon fuels. A further 7.2 million dollars will be invested in 30 projects aimed at increasing public awareness and understanding of electric vehicles.
The announcement follows the release of the federal government’s new auto strategy last week, which includes a 1.5 billion dollar commitment through the Canada Infrastructure Bank. The strategy outlines plans to develop a National Charging Infrastructure Strategy and highlights the need for skills training, private investment and industry leadership to deliver large-scale projects.
Although Prime Minister Mark Carney recently scrapped the electric vehicle sales mandate, the Liberal government continues to pursue its target of having 75 per cent of new vehicle sales be electric by 2035. Achieving that goal will require a major expansion of charging facilities across urban, rural and remote regions.
According to a 2024 estimate prepared for Natural Resources Canada, meeting future demand could require around 447,000 public chargers and nearly 12 million home charging ports by 2035 under a scenario of full EV adoption. Even with a lower target, experts say the scale of infrastructure development needed remains substantial.
Natural Resources Canada data shows that more than 33,000 public EV chargers are already installed nationwide, with over 18,000 more planned under the Zero Emission Vehicle Infrastructure Program. However, industry leaders say this is still far short of what will be required.
Travis Allan, president of the Canadian Charging Infrastructure Council, said charging availability has improved significantly in recent years but remains insufficient for a future dominated by electric vehicles. He added that the gap represents a major opportunity for investment.
The government has not yet clarified whether future charging infrastructure projects could be fast-tracked through the Major Projects Office, a mechanism designed to accelerate nationally significant developments. Reports last week suggested Ottawa was considering such an option to speed up deployment.
