Approximately 32.5 per cent of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions in Toronto comes from on-road transportation (cars, trucks, vans, and buses) with passenger cars and trucks responsible for about 23 per cent of Toronto’s GHG emissions. This means that switching from fossil fuel-powered vehicles to electric vehicles is important for meeting the City’s goal of achieving net zero GHG emissions by 2040.
To ensure that Toronto is on track to reach net zero by 2040, the TransformTO Net Zero Strategy identifies actions and targets to be achieved by 2030 in key sectors. The 2030 goals for transportation are:
Electric vehicles have other benefits, beyond reducing greenhouse gas emissions. They cost less to operate and don’t have tailpipe emissions, helping to reduce air pollution. They are also quiet, helping to reduce noise pollution.
More information about EVs is available on the Plug’n Drive website. Plug’n Drive is a non-profit organization committed to accelerating the adoption of electric vehicles to maximize their environmental and economic benefits. On their site, you can book an EV test drive, and use their EV Match tool to get information on EV models available in Canada and compare costs to a similar gas-powered vehicle.
Toronto has a goal of getting to net zero carbon emissions by 2040. For trips that can’t be taken by cycling, walking or taking transit, switching from fossil fuel-powered vehicles to electric vehicles is an important part of the pathway to net zero.
Electric vehicles do not have tailpipe emissions, helping to reduce local air pollution and greenhouse gas emissions. Learn more about EVs and the benefits they can bring.
Electric vehicles have batteries that need to be charged, and the time it takes depends on the car and on the level of charging. Learn more about public and at-home charging.
Toronto Parking Authority (TPA) is building and operating EV charging services that is leveraging TPA’s portfolio of 300+ off-street facilities and 20,000 on-street parking spaces to develop a public network of EV charging.
This map shows the growing network of City-owned and operated public chargers across Toronto.
To find the locations of all chargers in Toronto, including privately-owned in addition to the City-owned stations, visit ChargeHub or PlugShare maps.
The City of Toronto has installed 47 Level 2 charging stations at on-street parking spaces, beginning with a pilot deployment in 2020 followed by an expansion of this network in 2022, with the number expected to grow to over 150 by end of 2024. Beginning later in 2023, Toronto Parking Authority will be responsible for installing and operating all City-provided on-street public EV charging stations.
TPA is planning to install 500+ EV chargers at TPA off-street parking facilities by the end of 2024, including the approximately 100+ charging stations installed at the end of 2022. This represents the first phase of TPA’s EV Charging Infrastructure Plan, which will see a comprehensive network of EV infrastructure constructed across TPA’s portfolio of off-street and on-street parking.
Learn about Toronto Parking Authority’s EV Charging Program for on-street and parking facilities, including how to use the stations and the charge rates.
The City of Toronto is developing a Public Electric Vehicle (EV) Charging Network Study to guide provision of publicly accessible EV charging infrastructure across Toronto between 2025 and 2040. The Study is intended to help ensure that public charging will be available in Toronto where and when it is needed to support the City of Toronto’s goals for sustainable transportation and EV uptake.
The Study will:
The Study will be based on research and data analysis combined with input and feedback from the public and stakeholders. Learn more and participate in the survey.
Funding is available to help offset the cost of installing EV charging infrastructure in multi-unit residential buildings and workplaces:
The City of Toronto offers low-interest loans to home and building owners to cover the cost of a variety of improvements, including EV charging stations.
To help ensure that new buildings in Toronto are ready to meet EV charging needs in the future as people switch to electric vehicles, the Toronto Green Standard and the Toronto Zoning Bylaw include requirements for EV charging infrastructure in new buildings. For more information:
The Government of Canada provides incentives of up to $5,000 for consumers who buy or lease an eligible ZEV.
Learn more about incentives for purchasing zero-emission vehicles.
Toronto’s first Electric Vehicle (EV) Strategy was approved by City Council on January 29, 2020.
With a focus on the electrification of passenger vehicles (cars, vans, trucks and SUVs) the Strategy identifies 10 actions the City can take to: increase charging availability, address cost and convenience barriers, increase public awareness and education, and create economic opportunities that will benefit the local economy. Passenger cars and trucks accounted for about 23 per cent of GHG emissions in Toronto in 2020.
An Update on Electric Vehicle Strategy Implementation was considered by Toronto City Council at their July 19, 2022 meeting: Item 2022.IE31.17. Read the EV Strategy Staff Report for more information.
The City contracted Pollution Probe and The Delphi Group to lead the development of a comprehensive review of the current electric mobility landscape, existing policies, barriers and opportunities, best practice, convene key stakeholders and assess these findings to create a baseline. The assessment phase report was used to inform the Strategy actions.
Learn more: Electric Mobility Strategy Assessment Phase Report
The City engaged the public and stakeholders through multiple workshops and a public online survey to help co-create the Electric Vehicle Strategy.
Learn more: Electric Vehicle Strategy Consultation Summary
The City of Toronto is developing a Public EV Charging Network Study to help ensure public charging is available across Toronto when and where it’s needed. Throughout September 2023, through an online survey and virtual and in-person meetings, we gathered input from Toronto residents — current and potential EV owners and drivers and non-drivers — to help identify where and when public charging will be needed in Toronto for current and potential EV drivers, and better understand how public EV charging fits into an equitable low carbon transportation system.
The City is demonstrating leadership by electrifying City-owned fleet vehicles.
The Sustainable Fleets Plan aims to transition City-Fleets to sustainable, climate resilient, net-zero operations. The Plan’s key objectives are:
The City is undertaking a major expansion of its corporate EV charging infrastructure to enable and support accelerated transition of City fleets to electric vehicles, and help with broader promotion and adoption of EVs in Toronto and the Greater Toronto and Hamilton region.
The expanded charging station network has 142 charge ports available at 72 City locations. The network is expected to have 850 charge ports available by the end of 2025 at more than 100 City locations. The network will also enable the expansion of the City’s workplace charging program, with charging ports accessible to the public where feasible.
Since 2019, the City has been operating a pilot workplace EV charging program at City Hall and Metro Hall.
City of Toronto hosted a webinar on March 24, 2023 with Cara Clairman, President and CEO of Plug’n Drive, sharing information for fleet owners and operators about charging options, EV maintenance requirements, and the upfront and operating costs of EVs compared to gas-powered or diesel-powered vehicles. Watch the recording below:
The Toronto Transit Commission (TTC) Green Bus Program was approved by the TTC Board in November 2017, with the target of procuring only zero-emission buses starting in 2025 and achieving an entirely zero emissions bus fleet by 2040.
Since the Board’s approval of the Green Bus Program, the TTC has procured 310 of the latest clean diesel buses, 255 of latest generation hybrid electric buses (HEV), the City of Toronto’s first 60 battery-electric eBuses, and retrofitted three of TTC’s eight garages with the required eBus charging systems infrastructure. The TTC has gained valuable experience from its last procurement of 255 HEVs and 60 eBuses. The TTC will be applying lessons learned to develop technical and commercial specifications for the next 600 new accessible buses, including approximately 300 HEVs and 240 eBuses, to be delivered in 2023 through early 2025.
In June 2019, the TTC’s first of 60 eBuses entered service.
Since 2017, the TTC has been working in partnership with Toronto Hydro on the installation of required electrification infrastructure for the existing fleet of 60 eBuses. As the TTC continues on its path to full electrification of the bus, Wheel-Trans and non-revenue vehicle fleets, this infrastructure must be expanded accordingly. The TTC is working with Ontario Power Generation and Toronto Hydro to ensure on-time upgrade of the local grid distribution system and implementation of required infrastructure at TTC sites.
Between 2018 and 2019, a total of 255 of the latest generation hybrid diesel-electric buses were procured by TTC. Hybrid diesel-electric buses are equipped with both a clean diesel engine and an electric generator/motor. The on-board batteries, which drive the electric traction motor, are charged by the generator driven by the diesel engine and supplemented by the recovery of braking energy through regenerative braking. The clean diesel engine used on the hybrid buses is smaller in size compared to the engines used in the clean and conventional diesel buses. In addition, these buses have all-electric accessories such as electric power steering, air compressor, power steering, etc. All these features result in reduced fuel consumption and in turn, reduced tailpipe emissions.
Learn more: TTC Green Initiatives