Ontario is investing $20 million from its Green Investment Fund to build nearly 500 electric vehicle (EV) charging stations at over 250 locations in the province in 2017, according to a news release from the Ontario Ministry of Transportation.
Through the $20 million Electric Vehicle Chargers Ontario grant program, the province is working with 27 public- and private-sector partners to create a network of fast-charging EV stations in cities; along highways; and at workplaces, condominiums and public places across Ontario.
According to the release, this expansion in charging infrastructure will help address “range anxiety,” a common concern of consumers regarding the distance EVs can travel compared with traditional vehicles. The province has made this commitment to expand its network of public chargers so that EV owners can now plan longer trips with more confidence that a charging station is readily available.
The release adds that Ontario’s $325 million Green Investment Fund, a down payment on the province’s cap-and-trade program, is already boosting the economy, creating jobs and driving innovation while also fighting climate change.
“This is great news for drivers in Ontario,” says Steven Del Duca, Ontario’s minister of transportation. “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.”
To read the full release, click here.
