Ottawa’s billion-dollar push to build electric vehicle chargers has sputtered, with only a fraction of promised stations built and no proof the project will actually cut emissions, according to a new federal audit.Blacklock's Reporter says the Department of Natural Resources admitted its Zero Emission Vehicle Infrastructure Program, launched in 2019, is far behind schedule and may not deliver meaningful results even if completed. “There is no evidence that financing a national network at taxpayers’ expense would lower emissions,” auditors warned.The program offers subsidies of up to $10 million per project, yet only 12,010 charging stations are operational toward a 2026 goal of 33,500. Federal researchers said the country will need around 240,000 public charging ports by 2030 to meet demand — a shortfall the report described as “significant.”.Cabinet has already spent $630 million on the program and insists federal intervention is needed to overcome “market failures” in private sector spending on EV infrastructure. “There is a legitimate and necessary role for the federal government,” said the evaluation, arguing that subsidies are required to make the business viable.However, auditors questioned whether more chargers actually lead to more electric cars on the road. “It is too early to tell if the planned medium-term outcome of increased usage of electric vehicle infrastructure is occurring,” the report said..Evidence from other countries shows EV sales rise mainly because of rebates and penalties on gas-powered vehicles — not because of extra charging stations.The audit also highlighted the Canada Infrastructure Bank’s role in the plan, which includes $500 million in easy-term loans for another 5,000 chargers. Bank CEO Ehren Cory told the Senate national finance committee last year the loans weren’t offered at commercial rates and carried unusually long repayment terms — some stretching up to 30 years.“You don’t have to start paying me back until utilization of the chargers is high enough that you’re starting to make money,” Cory said, calling the terms “quite flexible.”Despite the generous subsidies and financing, auditors warned the program remains far from achieving its targets — and may ultimately fail to deliver on its environmental promises.
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