Thank you for the…

Thank you for the opportunity to provide feedback on improving public electric vehicle (EV) charging infrastructure in Ontario.

The Tourism Industry Association of Ontario (TIAO) is the authoritative voice of the tourism industry in Ontario, representing 200,000 tourism businesses and over 400,000 jobs in every corner of our province. This includes campgrounds, resource-based tourism operators, boating, short-term accommodations, transport operators, food and beverage, culture and heritage, and attractions.

TIAO has worked collaboratively with this government to put in place the necessary infrastructure to facilitate tourism to all corners of the province. We are pleased that the Ministry of Transportation intends to invest $91 million towards building public EV charging infrastructure. To ensure infrastructure upgrades meet the needs of the visitor economy, we have consulted with our industry stakeholders and offer the following responses to the questions outlined in the consultation notice:

Where are the geographic areas in Ontario where there are gaps in public EV charging infrastructure?

Northern and rural Ontario. About 2 million families travel to rural Ontario every year to camp, vacation, cottage, visit attractions, and/or boat.

In what kinds of situations are public EV chargers most useful?

More public EV chargers are required to meet the growing volumes of visitors travelling by electric boat, RV, and vehicle.

Most electric vehicles on the market can travel anywhere from 160 to 480 km before needing to be charged. Toronto to Timmins is around 780 km, which will require at least two charges before visitors reach their destination. Considering the multiple hours required to charge a vehicle, fast charging stations are recommended to improve the visitor travel experience.

Strategic planning in consultation with industry stakeholders is necessary to ensure that public EV chargers are placed along northern highways and their final destinations.

What are the challenges with increasing public EV charging in Ontario and how could the government help address those challenges?

Many operators are located at the outer limits of the electricity grid and are unable to access the energy required to support an EV charger. Before the introduction of additional EV chargers, Hydro-One must extend the grid to rural and northern Ontario.

EV chargers are very expensive to install, including the additional infrastructure and expertise to accommodate waterproof chargers for marinas. Small and medium size operators that make up most of our industry will face significant challenges installing EV chargers. To accommodate the changes needed to meet the government mandate of zero emissions by 2035, the Ontario government must make funding available to small and medium-sized operators.

Thank you for considering this response. We look forward to continuing to work with this government to make Ontario the best destination in the world for sustainable travel. Thank you again for the opportunity to participate in this consultation.