Subsidies are now on offer for EV charger installations in small to mid-sized Ontario communities with populations no greater than 170,000. Businesses, not-for-profit organizations and broader public sector proponents like health care providers and educational institutions are eligible for up to 50 per cent of qualifying costs for EV chargers at publicly accessible sites. Municipal governments and Indigenous communities, organizations or businesses can secure up to 75 per cent of eligible costs through the provincial program.
Applications for EV ChargeON funding can be submitted until January 31, 2024. Subsidies will be allotted on a per charging port basis, ranging from $5,000 for each Level 2 port up to $100,000 for a Level 3 port with a 200+ kilowatt (kW) output. A maximum of $1 million is available, but successful candidates could combine these funds with grants from other government programs — thus allowing businesses and broader public sector entities to cover up to 75 per cent of their project costs, and municipalities, not-for-profits and Indigenous organizations to cover up to 90 per cent.
“The EV ChargeON program will help get more electric vehicles on the road by building the infrastructure needed to support them,” maintains Prabmeet Sarkaria, Ontario’s Minister of Transportation. “Building more public charging stations is part of our government’s plan to be a global leader in the electric vehicle industry and provide more travel options for commuters.”
Prospective applicants must either own the subject site or have written approval from the owner or Band Council for the installation and operation of charging stations for at least five years. The sites must be open for use 24 hours a day, seven days a week and provide a minimum of either: four Level 2 charging ports; two Level 3 ports; or one Level 2 and one Level 3 port.
With the exception of subsidies for Indigenous businesses and organizations, the funds will not be dispersed within 14 large Ontario municipalities, including Ottawa, Hamilton, Kitchener, London, Windsor and the most populous urban centres of the Greater Toronto Area. However, some of the GTA’s urban municipalities do qualify, including Ajax, Pickering, Aurora, Newmarket and Milton.
