Canada Invests to Expand Electric Vehicle Charging Network at Campuses in Waterloo

June 17, 2021

The Government of Canada remains committed to building a clean energy future to strengthen the economy, create good, middle-class jobs and support the natural resource sectors.

The Honourable Bardish Chagger, Minister of Diversity and Inclusion and Youth and Member of Parliament for Waterloo, on behalf of the Honourable Seamus O’Regan Jr., Minister of Natural Resources, today announced a $100,000 investment for the University of Waterloo to work with Wilfrid Laurier University to install 20 electric vehicle (EV) chargers at both campuses providing employees, students and visitors with more options to charge and drive their vehicles where they live, work and learn.

Fifteen of the EV chargers will be installed at the University of Waterloo, and the remaining five at Wilfrid Laurier University where these EV chargers will encourage the adoption of zero-emission vehicles (ZEV) by supporting campus fleets.

The project received funding through Natural Resources Canada’s Zero-Emission Vehicle Infrastructure Program, which supports the government’s ambitious target to have all new passenger vehicles sold in Canada be zero-emission vehicles by 2040. The University of Waterloo is also contributing $108,102 towards this project and is joined by a $41,482 investment from Wilfrid Laurier University, bringing the total program cost to $249,584.

Canada has invested over $600 million to make EVs more affordable and charging infrastructure more readily accessible. This includes establishing a coast-to-coast network of fast chargers and installing chargers in more localized areas where Canadians live, work and play.

This investment supports natural gas refueling stations along key freight corridors, hydrogen stations in metropolitan centres, the demonstration of next-generation charging technologies, and the development of enabling codes and standards. The government provides incentives of up to $5,000 to increase affordability for Canadian consumers to buy EVs and full tax write-offs for businesses purchasing them.

These initiatives are driven by Canada’s strengthened climate plan, which accelerates ZEV adoption with an additional $150 million for infrastructure and an additional $287 million in purchasing incentives for Canadians.

The government supports green infrastructure projects that will create good, middle-class jobs, advance Canada’s low-carbon future and help achieve net-zero emissions by 2050.

Quotes

“We are giving Canadians the greener options they want to get to where they need to go. This is how we get to net-zero by 2050.”

The Honourable Seamus O’Regan Jr.
Minister of Natural Resources

“Investments in green infrastructure will bring us closer to a zero-emission future and beyond. Today’s announcements with two leading institutions in our community will help Ontarians make greener choices, improve air quality and reduce greenhouse gas emissions.”

The Honourable Bardish Chagger
Minister of Diversity and Inclusion and Youth

“Within Waterloo Region, nearly half of emissions are from transportation, so low-carbon options are urgently necessary and EVs play a crucial role in building a low-carbon economy for those who can’t walk, bike or bus. Charging stations are key to supporting EV adoption among our employees, students, visitors, and the campus fleet.”

Mat Thijssen
Director of Sustainability at the University of Waterloo

“This funding will allow Laurier to increase our EV charging network from 6 to 11 stations, almost doubling the current network on our Waterloo campus. This network expansion will focus on two currently under-serviced areas of our campus and it is our hope that this will assist in reducing barriers to electric vehicle use by the campus community.”

Ulrike Gross
Assistant Vice-President of Facilities and Asset Management at Wilfrid Laurier University

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