Zero-Emission Vehicle Awareness Initiative (ZEVAI)

Receive up to $300,000 in Canadian Government Funding.

The Government of Canada has a target of zero-emission vehicles (ZEV) reaching 10% of light-duty vehicles (LDV) sales per year by 2025, 30% by 2030, and 100% by 2040. To achieve these goals there needs to be a stronger focus on initiatives designed to increase availability, awareness, and use of lower-carbon transportation options.

Administered by Natural Resources Canada, the Zero-Emission Vehicle Awareness Initiative provides funding for projects that address knowledge gaps and awareness among Canadians on ZEV technologies to move Canadians through the consumer continuum to ZEV adoption. Funding is provided by two streams: The Light-duty Vehicle Stream and the Medium-Heavy Duty Stream.

Funding Amount

Light-duty Vehicle Stream: The initiative will provide up to 75% of total project costs, with a maximum contribution amount $300,000 per project (Limited to $200,000 for for-profit companies).
Medium-Heavy Duty Stream:
For-profit organizations receive up to 50% of project costs and not-for-profit organizations receive up to 75% of project costs.

Eligible Applicants

Both Streams: For-profit Canadian businesses, electricity/gas utilities, and not-for-profit associations, such as academic institutions and municipalities.

Eligible Activities

Both Streams: Developing training material and practice guides for the target audience, test drive/trial program, web-based resource and information portal, and increasing workplace charging awareness among employees.

Deadline to Apply

Light-duty Vehicle Stream: Applications are now closed for this stream.
Medium-Heavy Duty Stream: This program currently has a deadline of March 13, 2023, at 23:59.

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Zero-Emission Vehicle Awareness Initiative (ZEVAI)

Amount of Funding

Light-duty Vehicle Stream: Successful applicants may receive the following funding amounts:

For-profit organizations:
- Up to 50% of total project costs, with a maximum contribution amount $200,000 if completing prior to March 31, 2023.
Not-for-profit organizations, governments, or indigenous applicants:
- Up to 75% of total project costs, with a maximum contribution amount $300,000 if completing prior to March 31, 2023.

*All proposals must be clear about the expected completion date (2022 or 2023).

Medium-Heavy Duty Stream:

For-profit organizations:
- Receive up to 50% of project costs.
Not-for-profit organizations, governments, or indigenous applicants:
- Receive up to 75% of project costs.

Amount of Funding from the Canadian Government

Zero-Emission Vehicle Awareness Initiative (ZEVAI)

Eligible Applicants

Light-duty Vehicle Stream: Applicants may be eligible if they meet the following characteristics:

Utilities in electricity or gas;
Private corporations;
Research and/or industry associations;
Indigenous communities;
Academic institutions within Canada; or
Governments and their agencies ranging municipal, regional, provincial, and territorial.

Medium-Heavy Duty Stream: Applicants may be eligible if they meet the following characteristics:

Utilities in electricity or gas;
Private corporations;
Research and/or industry associations;
Indigenous communities;
Academic institutions within Canada; or
Governments and their agencies ranging municipal, regional, provincial, and territorial.

Eligible Applicants for Canadian Government Funding

Zero-Emission Vehicle Awareness Initiative (ZEVAI)

Eligible Activities

Light-duty Vehicle Stream: A project for the ZEVAI program may be eligible if they meet criteria similar to:

The project is creating and disseminating a new and unique awareness campaign;
Implementing an information portal on a web-presence;
Test-driving a trial program;
Generating training materials for a specific marketable audience;
Establishing a best-practices guideline;
Developing a series of in-person events or virtual meetings; and
Implementing a membership program for electric vehicles.

Medium-Heavy Duty Stream: A project may be eligible if it meets these criteria:

Developing targeted awareness campaigns;
Creating new digital resources;
Projects that increase knowledge and visibility of electric vehicle (EV) charging infrastructure;
Increasing knowledge of zero-emission or low-emission fleet options among commercial or municipal fleets; and
Educating fleet owners on methods for assessments and smart logistics use.

Eligible Expenses for Canadian Government Funding

Zero-Emission Vehicle Awareness Initiative (ZEVAI)

Program Deadline

Light-duty Vehicle Stream: Applications are now closed for this stream.

Medium-Heavy Duty Stream: This program currently has a deadline of March 13, 2023, at 23:59.

Program Deadline for Canadian Government Funding

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