Hospitals in Oakville, Milton, Halton Hills will become charging stations for electric vehicles
Published February 10, 2022 at 1:01 pm
Oakville, Milton and Georgetown residents will be able to charge up their electric vehicles (EV) at their local hospitals.
The federal government announced Thursday it will spend $165,000 for Halton Healthcare to install 36 EV chargers at Oakville Trafalgar Memorial Hospital, Milton District Hospital and Georgetown Hospital.
Milton MP Adam van Koeverden made the announcement alongside Oakville North-Burlington MP Pam Damoff.
Funded through Natural Resources Canada’s Zero-Emission Vehicle Infrastructure Program (ZEVIP), the investment will make EV charging more accessible for local residents.
“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,” said van Koeverden, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Health and to the Minister of Sports. “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.
“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.”
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Halton Healthcare is also contributing $168,500 toward the project, bringing the total cost of the program 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.
“This investment in modern, Level 2 electric vehicle charging stations at all three of our hospitals demonstrates our commitment to making sustainability an essential part of our future,” said Denise Hardenne, President and CEO, Halton Healthcare.
Reducing pollution from the transportation sector will help Canada achieve its climate targets, including ensuring all new passenger vehicles sold in Canada are zero-emission by 2035.
Since 2015, Canada has invested $1 billion to make EVs more affordable and chargers more accessible for Canadians.
The program is part 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,” said Damoff, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Public Safety. “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.
“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.”
To date, over 125,000 Canadians and Canadian businesses have taken advantage of the federal incentive to purchase a zero-emission vehicle.
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