NOTICE: The 2020 Request for Proposals of the Electric Vehicle and Alternative Fuel Infrastructure Deployment Initiative is now closed. NRCan will target having funding decisions by November 2020. Please note that for this RFP, priority will be given to proposals that: Increase the EV fast-charging infrastructure in under-served areas along Canada’s National Highway System.

Increase the natural gas refuelling infrastructure that extends freight corridors or creates new freight corridors.

2. Eligibility

Eligible Recipients:

Legal entities validly incorporated or registered in Canada including not-for-profit and for-profit organizations such as:

Electricity or gas utilities

Companies

Industry associations

Research associations

Standards organizations

Indigenous and community groups

Academic institutions

Provincial, territorial, regional or municipal governments or their departments or agencies where applicable

International legal entities validly incorporated or registered abroad including for-profit and not-for- profit organizations such as:

Companies

Industry associations

Research associations

Standards organizations

Academic institutions

Eligible Projects:

Projects must:

be a permanent installation serving on-road, licensed vehicles and be located in Canada;

be new and purchased equipment (not leased);

be for a new installation or increase the current capacity of an existing installation (not for the replacement of an existing installation);

be an eligible technology (see eligible technologies below);

be open to the public at all times for EV chargers and as appropriate for natural gas and hydrogen refuelling stations;

allow for networking (for EV chargers only);

offer at least one payment option free of any network membership requirement; and

be completed within twenty-four (24) months for charging infrastructure and thirty (30) months for refuelling infrastructure. These timelines have been extended to adjust to the current situation related to COVID-19. The Program is aiming to release funding decisions by October 2020.

At the proposal stage, the Applicants must:

demonstrate at least 50% of secured funding of their share of the total project costs;

demonstrate that they engaged with the energy supplier where the project will be built; and

own the land, have access to the land for a period of at least ten (10) years or demonstrate that they have the capacity to obtain access to the land for at least ten (10) years where the project will be built. If you are still negotiating the access to site, provide details and an estimated date when an agreement will be finalized.

Eligible technologies:

The technology must be rated for outdoor operation by a nationally recognized testing laboratory, including CSA, ULC or other and bear certification marks approved by the relevant authority having jurisdiction where the project is located, when applicable.

Electric Vehicle Fast Chargers: Any electric vehicle fast charger commercially available and certified for use in Canada. The charger must be a direct current fast charger (DCFC) rated for a minimum of 50 kW power output with at least one (1) charge connector that is CHAdeMO compliant and one (1) charge connector that is SAECombo (CCS) compliant or be a proprietary connector type.*

The following chargers are also eligible for funding if placed with a Level 3 fast charger as a supplementary charging option at the same site:

Any electric vehicle fast charger commercially available and certified for use in Canada. The charger must be a direct current fast charger (DCFC) rated for a minimum of 50 kW power output with at least one (1) charge connector that is CHAdeMO compliant and one (1) charge connector that is SAECombo (CCS) compliant or be a proprietary connector type.* The following chargers are also eligible for funding placed with a Level 3 fast charger as a supplementary charging option at the same site: Fast charger with a power output of 20 kW to 49 kW



Level 2 (208 / 240 V) with a power output of 3.3 kW to 19.2 kW



Natural Gas Refuelling Stations: Projects must be capable of dispensing compressed natural gas at 3600 psi and/or liquid natural gas.

Projects must be capable of dispensing compressed natural gas at 3600 psi and/or liquid natural gas. Hydrogen Refuelling Stations: Projects must be capable of dispensing hydrogen at 700 bar minimum.

* Other proprietary connector types may represent a maximum of 75% of all charging connectors installed at the same project site. The remaining balance (25% or more) must be universal charging connectors (J1772, J1772 Combo, and CHAdeMO) of the same category (i.e. Level 2 or fast charger).

British Columbia Infrastructure Projects

EV fast charger projects located in British Columbia that include fast chargers of 20 kW power output and above with SAE J1772 Combo (CCS) and CHAdeMO connectors only and selected for funding under NRCan’s Electric Vehicle and Alternative Fuel Infrastructure Deployment Initiative could also be automatically eligible for non-repayable provincial funding.

The BC Clean Energy Vehicle Public Fast Charging Program could fund up to 25% of the total project costs up to a maximum of $5,000 per eligible fast charger from 20 kW to 49 kW power output and to a maximum of $25,000 per eligible fast charger fast-charging stations from 50 kW power output and above. Funding is merit based and limited to the funding envelope made available by the Province. For fast chargers in BC, if you would like to be considered for a provincial contribution, please include the provincial funding in the Budget Overview (worksheet 5.3) of the Application Form (Excel document). Proposals must reflect all governments’ contributions. Proprietary connector types are not eligible for this provincial funding.

Electric vehicle charging infrastructure eligible for B.C. funding Charger type Primary use B.C. Funding amount (25%), or Fast chargers >50 kW National Highway System, on-street and public places Up to $25,000 Multi-unit residential buildings, workplace and fleets Not eligible for B.C. funding Fast chargers 20 to 50 kW National Highway System, on-street and public places Up to $5,000 Level 2 Multi-unit residential buildings, workplace https://goelectricbc.gov.bc.ca/ Proprietary Chargers (L3 / L2) All Not eligible for B.C. funding

All governments funding (federal, provincial/territorial and/or municipal) cannot exceed 75% of the total project costs, except in the case where the Proponent is a provincial, territorial, regional, or municipal government or their department or agency in which case the stacking limit for government funding is 100% of the total project costs.

Québec Infrastructure Projects

The Act Respecting the Ministère du Conseil Exécutif (M-30) may apply to an Applicant in the Province of Quebec. Applicants may be required to complete an additional information form and, if they are subject to the requirements of the Act, to obtain written authorization and approval from the Government of Quebec prior to execution of any Contribution Agreement. The Program will follow-up with the Applicant during the application assessment period, as required.

Eligible expenditures:

IMPORTANT NOTE: Successful Applicants will be notified through a Letter of Conditional Approval and will be invited to begin negotiating a contribution agreement.

Natural Resources Canada can only reimburse eligible expenditures during the eligible expenditures period. This period starts when Canada signs the contribution agreement.

The expenditures incurred between the receipt of the Letter of Conditional Approval and the date on which a contribution agreement is signed by Canada fall outside of the Eligible Expenditures Period and are not eligible for reimbursement by Natural Resources Canada, however they may count towards the total project cost.

Eligible expenditures are:

Salary and benefits;

Professional services;

Reasonable travel costs;

Capital expenses;

Rental fees or leasing costs;

License fees and permits;

Costs associated with environmental assessments;

GST, PST and HST net of any tax rebate to which the recipient is entitled; and

Overhead directly related to the Project will be considered to a maximum of 15% of Eligible Expenditures.

Ineligible Expenditures: