Transportation currently accounts for about 25% of Canadian greenhouse gas emissions, half of which come from light-duty vehicles like passenger cars and small trucks. Ambitious new federal targets will soon change that.

By 2025, the Canadian government would like 10% of all new light-duty vehicle sales to be emissions free, increasing to 30% by 2030. Previously, the goal was to reach 100% by 2040, but the government has now pushed up the date to 2035 and made that target mandatory.

The share of electric vehicles (EVs) sold in most provinces is currently just under 5% of the total, but that will change—and fast.

Many manufacturers such as Volvo, GM, Ford and Volkswagen are planning on phasing out gas and diesel cars over the next 15 years—some as early as 2025. These car makers are already investing billions in electrifying their products and dozens of new models are forthcoming.

Justin Rowlatt, the BBC’s chief environment correspondent, wrote that “We are in the middle of the biggest revolution in motoring since Henry Ford’s first production line started turning back in 1913.”

There is one more piece to this puzzle: infrastructure. While many EV models get nearly the equivalent of a tank of gas on a single charge, a full charge at an ordinary outlet can take more than 12 hours. Many large Canadian cities are now laying the groundwork with more rapid charging ports that can reach a full charge overnight, or over the course of a workday. 

The city of Toronto is aiming to become carbon neutral by 2050 and plans to do so, in part, by increasing EV ownership to 20% of all vehicles in the city within 10 years. To aid those efforts, there are plans to install 3,000 public charging ports by 2025 and 10,000 by 2030. Montreal has discussed banning non-EVs from its downtown core by 2030 and the City of Vancouver mandated that all new multi-unit residential buildings include EV readiness for every resident parking spot.

The Canadian government continues to offer incentives to accelerate uptake. In addition to a $5,000 subsidy on the purchase of a new EV, and steep tax cuts for companies manufacturing EVs and related technology, anyone installing EV chargers (such as condo boards and building managers, buildings that nearly one-third of Canadians call home) are eligible for funding help through the Zero Emission Vehicle Infrastructure Program (ZEVIP).

Until 2024, this program will offer a total of $280 million towards the installation of EV chargers and infrastructure. Most projects are eligible for 50% of funding up to a maximum of $5,000 per connector.

Wyse has recently partnered with Elexicon on EVSTART, a new EV charging infrastructure solution. Together, we handle the complete installation and all ongoing maintenance, servicing, and electrical metering of top-of-the-line level 2 EV chargers. We also offer a unique leasing program that eliminates up-front costs. We also have dedicated personnel to guide you and apply on your behalf so you take full advantage of government incentives like ZEVIP.

To learn more about EVSTART, contact us today.