The number of electric vehicles in Ontario is growing. As of March 2024, there are about 150,000 EVs registered in the province. By 2030, that number is estimated to be over 1 million. To support this increase, the Ontario government is looking to build up public EV charging infrastructure throughout the province.
While drivers can find several stations in large cities like Toronto and Ottawa, they can be harder to find in smaller towns and rural areas. To address this problem, the Ontario government has launched the EV ChargeON program.
Announced in March 2022, the EV ChargeON program provides funding for the installation of EV charging infrastructure in Ontario communities outside of major cities. This includes Indigenous communities and communities with less than 170,000 residents. Eligible sites are:
- Businesses
- Not-for-profit corporations
- Municipal governments
- Indigenous organizations or businesses
- Broader public sector organizations
Applicant EV charging station sites must be publicly available 24/7 and include, at minimum, at least one of:
- Four Level 2 ports
- One Level 3 port and one Level 2 port
- Two Level 3 ports
Additionally, the site must include the following connector types:
- For Level 2 chargers: SAE J1772 standard connector
- For Level 3 chargers: Combined Charging System (CCS) connectors must represent a minimum of 25% of the connectors at the site. The remaining connectors may include CCS, NACS, and/or CHAdeMO types.
In terms of funding, the amount given depends on the type of applicant and type of charging. The program has two parameters that determine how much funding is available for each project. The first is a per-project percentage cap. Municipalities and Indigenous businesses, organizations, and communities can receive 75% of total project costs. The second parameter is a per-technology level cap. The maximum amounts are outlined in the following chart:
*Source: Government of Ontario
The amount provided for each project will be the lesser of the following:
- The percentage cap: either 75% or 50% depending on the applicant type
- The technology cap is based on the charger type outlined in the chart
The maximum amount of funding available per project is $1 million.
The application window began on October 20, 2023, and ended on January 31, 2024. Applicants were informed of funding decisions during spring 2024.
