Canada to invest in charging infrastructure on the east coast

The new electric vehicle charging network is to be spread across workplaces, public on-street parking and multi-unit residential buildings in Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, Newfoundland and Labrador, and Prince Edward Island. Funds were also set aside for two Indigenous organisations to install EV chargers serving a highway retail hub and the Halifax International Airport.No direct mention is made of the charging capacities that the new stations will provide; however, the initiators detailed the specific number of charging stations – Nova Scotia Power will receive $3,000,000 to install 60 Level 3 charging stations in public places across Nova Scotia. The Steele Auto Group will receive $1,300,000 to install 37 Level 2 EV chargers and 28 Level 3 EV chargers at dealerships. The charging infrastructure at Halifax Airport will be built by Nikmaq Trading Inc, which is receiving $742,500 to install 10 Level 3 EV chargers.The Glooscap First Nation is receiving $225,000 to install two Level 3 EV chargers at Glooscap Landing, a highway retail business centre owned by the Glooscap First Nation. These chargers will be connected to a solar microgrid, which was developed with an investment of $200,000 from Indigenous Services Canada through the Strategic Partnerships Initiative’s Atlantic Indigenous Clean Energy Initiative.Finally, multi-unit residential properties in Halifax will see 20 Level 2 charging stations installed via a $100,000 grant to Southwest Properties.“The Government of Canada is making it easier for Canadians to go electric by building reliable charging infrastructure where people need it. Every new EV charger we help install brings us one step closer to a cleaner, more-connected Atlantic Canada,” said Tim Hodgson, Minister of Energy and Natural Resources.Kody Blois, Parliamentary Secretary to the Prime Minister, added: “Atlantic Canadians are ready to lead in the clean energy transition, and today’s investment is about making sure they have the tools to do it. By expanding EV charging infrastructure across our communities, we’re helping families, workers and Indigenous partners make the switch to electric while creating good jobs and supporting local economies.”Charging infrastructure has been a growing topic in Canada of late, with coffee chain Tim Hortons announcing plans to install fast charging infrastructure at 100 locations in Canada just last month, and the province of Newfoundland and Labrador investing CAD 3.8 million in infrastructure a few days earlier. In mid-August, the Canadian government also announced $25 million in a total of 33 different projects aimed at improving EV adoption.canada.ca