April 23, 2024 – Hundreds of public electric vehicle chargers will be installed throughout the Capital Regional District with combined funding of more than $8.7 million from the federal and provincial governments, the district, and the City of Victoria. “Transportation accounts for 40% of BC’s emissions, which is why it’s so important that we make it easier and affordable for people to drive zero-emission vehicles,” said George Heyman, Minister of Environment and Climate Change Strategy (BC). “In addition to rebates, we continue to expand BC’s electric vehicle charging network, with a target o ..read more

April 9, 2024 – Ontario is launching a new round of the Grid Innovation Fund—worth $9.5 million—to support projects that will make the province’s electricity system more efficient. The Ministry of Energy is focusing this year’s funding on transportation and heating and cooling. The 2024 call seeks project proposals that demonstrate how electrification can be achieved in a way that helps address the province’s growing electricity demand in the transportation, and space and water heating and cooling sectors while maintaining grid reliability, sustainability, and affordability for ratepayers. The ..read more

March 29, 2024 – The VarianHome Bundle from Variablegrid consists of the VarianHome controller paired with the VarianR40 Level 2 smart charger. This package leverages the company’s EV energy management system (EVEMS) technology to optimize a home’s available power. Tailored for single-family residences, this system promises a seamless transition to electric vehicle charging without the need for “costly upgrades to your existing electrical infrastructure”. The solution dynamically manages a home’s energy, automatically adjusting according to available power, ensuring the home’s electrical syste ..read more

March 29, 2024 – The VarianPro controller—Variablegrid’s patented EV energy management system (EVEMS)—is an intelligent demand-response system that optimizes a building’s available energy for full electrification. Designed for commercial buildings and multi-unit dwellings, VarianPro employs dynamic power distribution based on real-time energy consumption to maximize power delivery to electric vehicle chargers. Building load sensing promises to eliminate electrification constraints caused by limited available power, while multi-level electrical topology manages constraints at the subpanel, circ ..read more

March 26, 2024 – Canadian lighting manufacturer Reno LED Lighting Inc. has entered the electric vehicle space with the Reno EVC line of EV supply equipment (EVSE). The EV chargers are designed to address the demand for competitively priced, commercial-grade charging solutions, says Reno, adding that there is a “natural synergy” between lighting and EV chargers: LED lighting retrofits reduce energy load, which can offset the power needed for EV chargers. “This addition enables our clients to offer a comprehensive suite of energy management solutions, all from a single, trusted source,” said Rob ..read more

March 19, 2024 – Along with member representatives and subject-matter experts, Electro-Federation Canada’s executive leadership team visited Ottawa in February to encourage policymakers “to accelerate action with positive policy signals to ensure Canada can meet increasing electrical capacity demand and secure global supply chains”. EFC’s membership comprises electrical and automation solutions manufacturers, distributors, and manufacturer reps. These members, says EFC, contribute $15.6 billion to Canada’s GDP and support 109,000 jobs, representing $9 billion in labour income and $3.6 billion ..read more

March 22, 2024 – Electric Avenue Manufacturing, a supplier of electric vehicle supply equipment, has promoted general manager Kelsey Bond to the position of national sales manager. “We are confident that, under her guidance, Electric Avenue and our sales agencies will achieve new heights of success,” said Mark MacDonald, president. “We look forward to supporting her in this next phase of her career with Electric Avenue.” In other company news, Electric Avenue has joined the AD Canada-Electrical supplier network. “This membership signifies our entry into a wide-reaching and respected network, e ..read more

March 19, 2024 – InCharge Energy, a provider of turnkey fleet electrification solutions for vehicle OEMs and commercial fleet customers, has been recognized among the World’s Most Innovative Companies for 2024 under “Transportation” by Fast Company. “In addition to thousands of EV charging infrastructure projects, InCharge Energy has been committed to developing tech-forward solutions designed specifically for fleets, who have vastly different needs than public charging customers,” said Cameron Funk, CEO, InCharge Energy. InCharge was recognized for several key achievements in 2023, including ..read more

March 19, 2024 – The Government of Canada issued a call for proposals for two new funding opportunities under the Sustainable Jobs Training Fund (SJTF) to help employers, organizations, and unions train workers for jobs in the low-carbon economy. (With an allocated investment of just over $99 million over four years [2024-2028], the SJTF is a new fund that will support a range of training projects. Not-for-profit organizations, for-profit organizations, Indigenous organizations, and provincial or territorial governments are eligible to apply for funding.) Sustainable Jobs Training Fund project ..read more

February 27, 2024 – Nova Bus has been awarded a five-year contract for up to 53 LFSe+ battery-electric buses (BEBs) by the City of Regina. “These will be the first [BEBs] in Regina Transit’s fleet,” said Brad Bells, director, Transit & Fleet. “The addition of these electric buses will support the City of Regina’s goal of becoming a 100% renewable city by 2050, and is in line with our Energy and Sustainability Framework.” The first seven LFSe+ are scheduled to be delivered in 2025, with up to 46 buses in option for the remainder of the contract. The City of Regina’s Energy and Sustainabilit ..read more