COLLINGWOOD, ON – Municipalities, retail sites, workplaces and recreation facilities in southwestern Ontario are poised to begin moving ahead with the installation of dozens of new electric vehicle (EV) charging stations; after successfully applying for funding through the EPCOR Go EV program.
The allocation of $1.7 million in federal Zero Emission Vehicle Infrastructure Program (ZEVIP) funds will be used to add more than 200 electric vehicle chargers to the South Georgian Bay area and beyond in the next two years. All of these chargers, supported through the EPCOR Go EV program, are expected to be energized by March 2023.
This program contributes to EPCOR’s environment and climate change strategy by demonstrating a commitment to sustainability and support for communities and customers in reducing their own environmental footprint.
“EPCOR’s Go EV program will provide greater access to EV charging stations in South Georgian Bay and beyond,” said
Darren McCrank, Director of Operations, Ontario Region, EPCOR. “As an electricity provider for this area, and a premier essential services company, we are committed to improving the quality of life for our customers and the communities we serve. These charging stations will help meet a growing demand, as more consumers switch to electric vehicles.”
“We’re making electric vehicles more affordable and charging more accessible where Canadians live, work and play. Investing in more EV chargers, like the ones announced today in Ontario, will put more Canadians in the driver’s seat on the road to a net-zero future and help achieve our climate goals,” said the
Honourable Jonathan Wilkinson, Canada’s Minister of Natural Resources.
Forty-six new charging sites will be built through this program in a long list of communities, including Collingwood, Kincardine, Wasaga Beach, Orillia and Welland. A complete overview of locations can be found at
epcor.com/goev.
EPCOR’s Go EV program supports the installation of both Level 2 and Level 3 chargers, giving electric vehicle owners the option for faster charging. In addition to reviewing contribution applications and distributing ZEVIP funding, EPCOR will also provide project oversight of the installation of the EV charging stations.
The ZEVIP funding is providing up to 50% of the costs of installing EV charging stations, up to a total value of $100,000 per application. The stations are required to be a permanent and new installation for one of the following locations:
- multi-unit residential buildings;
- public venues such as retail parking, restaurants, hotels, professional services offices;
- workplaces;
- light-duty vehicle fleets; and
- on-street parking and public (municipal) lots.
Public EV charging provides benefits to communities by encouraging further adoption of electric vehicles and generating additional investment in the local retail, travel and tourism sectors. Workplace and fleet EV charging supports employee retention, provides economic benefits due to lower fleet maintenance and fuel costs and contributes to a company’s environmental performance.