A new investment in Ontario’s Healthcare system was announced today in order to make electric vehicle chargers more accessible.
Hospitals across Ontario will be getting new electric vehicle chargers, including a $165,000 investment in Halton Healthcare to install a total of 36 electric vehicle (EV) chargers at hospitals in Oakville, Milton and Georgetown.
Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Health and to the Minister of Sport Adam van Koeverden, on behalf of the Honourable Jonathan Wilkinson, Minister of Natural Resources, and Pam Damoff, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Public Safety, announced the investment will be funded by Natural Resources Canada’s Zero-Emission Vehicle Infrastructure Program (ZEVIP).
“Today’s funding announcement represents another step forward in ensuring that driving an electric vehicle is a feasible, convenient and realistic ambition for everyone in Milton. We all have a role to play in fighting climate change and improving our air quality, and my neighbours in Milton have decisions to make about what car to purchase next,” said Koeverden. “Our government is investing in options to charge these vehicles where we work, shop and almost anywhere we park as well as providing federal subsidies for the purchase of EVs — making it easier for all of us to fight climate change and be a part of a greener, cleaner future for all Canadians.”
Halton Healthcare is contributing $168,500 toward this project, bringing the total program cost to $333,500. The project is in line with the organization’s Energy Conservation and Demand Management Plan, which encourages emission reductions by hospital staff and visitors.
The Government of Canada is looking to making it easier for Canadians to purchase, charge and drive electric vehicles in Ontario and across the country.
Since 2015, Canada has invested a historic $1 billion to make EVs more affordable and chargers more accessible for Canadians. These investments are supporting the establishment of a coast-to-coast network of chargers in local areas where Canadians live, work and play, while federal rebates of up to $5,000 are helping more Canadians make the switch to an EV.
“Electric vehicles are an important part of meeting Canada’s ambitious climate change goals. I have long been a proponent of protecting our environment, whether it is advocating for more green spaces, improved cycling infrastructure or delivering unprecedented federal funding for Oakville Transit to modernize its transit fleet by replacing existing diesel buses with fully battery-electric buses,” said Damoff. “Reducing carbon emissions by ensuring drivers have easy access to public chargers in their communities makes it easier for everyone to work together to achieve our net-zero emissions goal.”
These investments are another step in reaching Canada’s target of ensuring all new passenger vehicles sold in Canada are zero-emission by 2035.
