Federal government invests in electric vehicle infrastructure in Manitoba

The Federal Government has committed to reducing pollution from public and personal transportation, which they say will be critical in order for Canada to hit its 2050 climate targets.

The transportation sector accounts for one-quarter of Canada’s greenhouse gas emissions. To reduce this pollution, the feds have mandated that by 2035 all cars and passenger trucks sold will be zero-emission.

To help reach this goal, a new investment of $2.5 million to expand charging infrastructure across the prairies. In total, 400 electric vehicle charging stations in Manitoba and Saskatchewan.

“It’s hard to buy an electric vehicle and get around town if you don’t have the charging infrastructure,” said Terry Duguid, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Environment and Climate Change.

“This is how we create a future where vehicles that we drive won’t harm the environment that we cherish.”

The funds come from Natural Resource Canada’s zero-emission vehicle infrastructure program. The new EV chargers will be installed in public spaces, multi-unit residential buildings and workplaces.

Duguid says federal rebates of up to $5,000 are helping more Canadians make the switch to electric vehicles. With some provinces offering even more incentive to make the switch.

“The two big markets have been Quebec and British Columbia because their incentives are the most generous. Now, Manitoba should be the electric car and truck capital of Canada because as you know we have the cheapest electricity in North America.”

Daniel Breton, with non-profit Electric Mobility Canada, says it’s cleaner and cheaper to drive an electric vehicle. The upfront cost to buy an EV is variable depending on the make and model. However, Breton says when it comes to the cost of fuel versus electric, it’s far more economical to ditch the petroleum and plug in.

“Wherever you are in Canada, whether you are in Quebec, B.C. or Alberta, it’s always cleaner to drive an electric car,” he explained.

On average if a person pays 15 cents per Kilowatt hour at home to charge their EV, a 60 Kilowatt battery would cost about $2.25 per 100Km to drive. Compare that to using 8 litres of gasoline per 100km at around $2.00 per litre at the pump, totalling $16.00 per 100km.

Charging EVs on the road will cost more, between $5 and $10 per 100Km says Breton who suspects the costs will come down with the advancement and expansion of EV technology.

“Ten, 12 years ago, the average electric car would have a range of about 120KM. Today the average electric car has a range between 400-500KM,” explained Breton.

Duguid says expanding the national network of EV charging stations should make it easier and cheaper for Canadians to go electric.

To date, the federal government has approved more than 33,000 EV chargers to be installed across the country.