WOOD ISLANDS, PE, May 10, 2024 /CNW/ - Making the switch to an electric vehicle (EV) is a win-win for families looking to save money while reducing pollution. Due to cheaper refuelling and lower maintenance costs, most EVs cost less than their gas engine counterparts over their lifetime. The widespread shift to electric-powered transportation also poses a tremendous economic opportunity, creating manufacturing jobs across Canada.

Today, Sean Casey, Member of Parliament for Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island, on behalf ofthe Honourable Jonathan Wilkinson, Canada's Minister of Energy and Natural Resources, and alongside the Honourable Steven Myers, Minister of Environment, Energy and Climate Action, announced a federal investment of $1.4 million to the Government of Prince Edward Island to install 13 fast chargers across the province.

The chargers are expected to be installed by September 2025 and will help EV drivers get to where they need to go with confidence and ease. Before hitting the roads, Canadians can easily map out their route by consulting Natural Resources Canada's (NRCan) Electric Charging and Alternative Fuelling Stations Locator. 

To help drivers make the switch, the Government of Canada is supporting the deployment of a coast-to-coast-to-coast network of charging stations along highways and in communities' public places, on-street, in multi-unit residential buildings, at workplaces and for vehicle fleets. To date, NRCan investments are helping to deploy over 42,000 EV chargers across the country where they are most needed.

Federal funding for these projects was provided through Natural Resources Canada's Zero Emission Vehicle Infrastructure Program. This investment supports commitments included in the recent Electric Vehicle Availability Standard, which proposed to further accelerate the production of zero-emission vehicles (ZEVs). This production aims to increase the supply of ZEVs made available to Canadians, ultimately contributing to the national target of all vehicles sales being ZEV by 2035.

"We're making electric vehicles more affordable and charging more available where Canadians live, work and play. Investing in more EV projects, like the ones announced today across Prince Edward Island, will put Canadians in the driver's seat on the road to a strong, healthy net-zero future." 

 The Honourable Jonathan Wilkinson
Minister of Energy and Natural Resources

"As we invest in expanding EV infrastructure across Prince Edward Island, we're not just building charging stations — we're paving the way for cleaner air, more sustainable communities and a brighter future for all Islanders."

Sean Casey
Member of Parliament for Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island

"For P.E.I.'s Net-Zero Plan to succeed, we need to reduce transportation emissions. The Government of Prince Edward Island is making P.E.I. the nation's most EV-friendly province by expanding the charging network across the province, especially in rural areas."

The Honourable Steven Myers
Minister of Environment, Energy and Climate Action, Prince Edward Island

• On-road transportation accounts for about 18 percent of Canada's total greenhouse gas emissions.
• Phasing in 100-percent new electric vehicle sales by 2035 is projected to reduce over 360 million tonnes of greenhouse gas emissions by 2050, avoiding almost $100 billion in global damages.
• The Government of Canada has allocated over $1 billion in funding to support the deployment of electric vehicle charging stations across the country.
• The Zero Emission Vehicle Infrastructure Program provides funding to support the installation of EV chargers in multi-unit residential buildings, at workplaces, on-street, at public places and where EV fleets are serviced.
• The Canada Infrastructure Bank's (CIB) Charging and Hydrogen Refuelling Infrastructure initiative was created to invest in large-scale ZEV charging and hydrogen refuelling infrastructure across Canada that is revenue-generating and in the public interest.
• To date, CIB has announced funding for 4,000 fast chargers through two projects with Flo and Parklands.
• The Government of Canada's iIncentives for Zero-Emission Vehicles (iZEV) program has helped over 300,000 drivers make the switch through incentives of up to $5,000.
• Provincial incentive programs are also available to help more Canadians purchase or lease an EV.
• Over 50 models qualify for the federal iZEV purchase incentive in 2023, which is an 80-percent increase from 2019.

• ZEV Resource Hub
• Zero-emission vehicle infrastructure funding
• Charging and Hydrogen Refuelling Infrastructure initiative
• 2030 Emissions Reduction Plan: Clean Air, Strong Economy
• Canada's Electric Vehicle Availability Standard (regulated targets for zero-emission vehicles)
• Sustainable Jobs Plan

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SOURCE Natural Resources Canada