The Canadian government is backing its commitment to electric vehicles with dollars.

Minister of Housing and Infrastructure Gregor Robertson — the minister responsible for Pacific Economic Development Canada — speaking on behalf of Minister of Energy and Natural Resources Tim Hodgson, last week announced nearly $22.7 million in funding for eight projects aimed at improving electric vehicle charging availability in British Columbia.

The investment aims to install more than 480 EV chargers along main travel routes, in public places, at workplaces and in multi-unit residential buildings.

“With today’s announcement, we are accelerating the transition to zero-emission vehicles,” Robertson said. “These chargers are located in high-demand areas and along busy highway corridors where Canadians need them most.”

In a news release, Natural Resources Canada said the funding was delivered in collaboration with partners in provincial utilities and municipalities to improve access to charging stations for existing EV drivers and address range anxiety for Canadians considering purchasing an EV in the future.

The Zero Emission Vehicle Infrastructure Program provides funding toward the deployment of EV chargers and hydrogen refueling stations where Canadians live, work, travel and play.

Since 2016, the Government of Canada has allocated more than $1 billion in funding to support the deployment of EV charging stations across the country.

“Canada is taking bold action to become an energy superpower,” Hodgson said. “Through these projects, we are delivering practical, on-the-ground solutions to improve EV charging availability for British Columbians. Investments like this are how we build a cleaner, more secure and more competitive economy.”

Kia Canada partners with Variablegrid for home EV chargers

Of course, the government is not the only entity involved in supporting EV charging.

Kia Canada announced a partnership with Variablegrid Adaptive Power, a Canadian energy technology company specializing in EV energy management.

The automaker said Variablegrid eliminates the cost and complexity of installing a home charger in older homes that might not have enough electrical power to spare for Level 2 EV charging.

Variablegrid’s Energy Management System uses patented adaptive load management technology powered by artificial intelligence, to monitor real-time energy usage and automatically adjust power to the charger based on available capacity. That allows homeowners to have a charger without the costly upgrades to their electrical panel many older homes encounter, making EV ownership more accessible.

“Kia Canada is committed to making electric vehicles accessible and affordable for all Canadians,” director of strategic planning David Sherrard said. “Our partnership with Variablegrid directly supports that mission by removing common cost and infrastructure barriers associated with home charging, especially in older homes that cannot support traditional EV chargers.”

Kia Canada said customers purchasing Kia EVs can include the cost of the Variablegrid EMS and home charger in their vehicle financing.

“One of the biggest reasons people hesitate to buy an EV is uncertainty about home charging,” Variablegrid CEO and co-founder Dan Lafferty said. “We’ve bundled everything Kia EV buyers need: smart charging, intelligent power management and a seamless solution designed to simplify the transition to EV ownership. Our partnership with Kia streamlines the home charging sale process and delivers a great ownership experience from the start.”

Kia said the collaboration supports its growing line of EVs, including the soon-to-be introduced EV5 SUV — exclusive to Canada in North America — and the new EV4 compact sedan, vehicles Kia said demonstrate its ongoing commitment to providing accessible electric mobility solutions for Canadians.

The Variablegrid EMS system and home chargers are now available for purchase at all Canadian Kia dealerships and can be added to the build and price of a vehicle on Kia.ca.