There are four new electric vehicle charging stations at the Innisfil ONroute on Highway 400.
The announcement was made Wednesday morning on site by Ivy Charging Network general manager Michael Kitchen.
Kitchen was joined by Barrie-Innisfil MPP Andrea Khanjin, Vaughan-Woodbridge MP Francesco Sorbara, Kitchener South-Hespeler MPP Jess Dixon, Innisfil Councillor Rob Nicol and Kenny Hedrick, ONroute vice-president of operations.
There are now 16 ONroute locations with charging stations after Ivy Charging Network, ONroute, Canadian Tire Corporation, the Ministry of Transportation, and Natural Resources Canada announced a partnership last year.
“Collectively, we’ve made it easier for EV drivers to travel on Ontario’s highways right in time for summer travelling season,” said Kitchen. “We are excited to deliver on our commitment of bringing Ivy’s trusted and reliable Charge and Go fast-charger network to Ontario’s busiest routes. Through this partnership and the funding provided by Natural Resources Canada, we’re ending range anxiety by providing reliable charging at convenient and accessible locations."
Each of Ivy’s ONroute Charge and Go locations has between two and four chargers to serve electric vehicles. In February 2020, Natural Resources Canada, through its Electric Vehicle and Alternative Fuel Infrastructure Deployment Initiative, invested $8 million to help build the Ivy Charging Network.
“If you’re driving an electric vehicle, oftentimes you have that little bit of anxiety that some of us who drive electric vehicles have, which is the range of being able to charge it somewhere,” said Khanjin. “So, to have the added insurance that if you’re going to a convenient location, you’re able to stop and charge. The most important thing is it’s a Level 2 charging station, which means you can have a quick break and get a nice charge in 30 minutes. That’s a huge demand across the province and I’m really thankful for that quality of charging coming to Innisfil.”
Ivy Charging Network has installed 58 Level 3 fast chargers at 16 ONroute locations, offering charging speeds up to 150 kilowatts, delivering up to a 100-kilometre charge in 10 minutes.
“This is a huge benefit for our commuters and families from Simcoe County (and) across the Waterloo Region,” said Dixon. “With today’s announcement, Ontario is building on our work to make these EV fast chargers available at all 23 ONroute locations along Highway 401 and Highway 400. Our plan is working. As of earlier this year, there were over 75,000 electric vehicles registered in Ontario. By 2030, it’s estimated that one out of every three automobiles sold will be electric. We’re not stopping there. Ontario is going to be boosting electric vehicle adoption by ensuring lower costs, attracting more jobs, and leveraging our clean grid.”
Ivy will open at the Trenton North and South ONroute locations by the end of this month and the Barrie and King City locations by the end of 2022. Fast chargers will be installed at the remaining three ONroute locations by 2025.
The same day as the announcement in Innisfil, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced a deal had been signed with Umicore to build a new battery materials facility in Ontario’s Loyalist Township that will supply materials for one million vehicles per year.
“It’s electric vehicle week and it’s an exciting week,” said Sorbara. “Canada is at the forefront of every level of electric vehicles. Canadians expect their government to support them, and our government is committed to supporting innovative, green infrastructure projects that bring Canada’s transportation sector closer to a competitive, net-zero future.”
