Some new charging stations for electric vehicles will be installed in two northern communities.
It was recently announced by the GNWT and NT Energy that Behchoko and Fort Smith have just finished the installation of Level 2 and 3 Electric Vehicle Charging Stations. Both stations have been installed to help further the GNWT’s progress on the 2030 Energy Strategy, as well as the 2022-2025 Energy Action Plan.
Each station includes two 100kW chargers, and two 19.2kW chargers. The GNWT is continuing to invest in EV infrastructure, especially in communities that employ hydroelectricity. They are hoping to encourage the wider use of electric vehicles, as well as more energy affordable technologies across the North to help address Climate Change.
Caroline Wawzonek, the Minister of Infrastructure, said in a statement that “With the installation of EV Fast Chargers in Behchokǫ̀ and Fort Smith, the NWT continues its work to establish a zero-emission vehicle corridor and contribute to a more sustainable energy future for the North. These initiatives support one of the key mandate priorities of the 20th Assembly—to leverage federal funding to close the infrastructure gap through investments in green power generation, transmission, and transportation networks.”
Last year, the GNWT and NT Energy were able to install two Level 3 and two Level 2 EV chargers in Hay River. Two chargers were also installed in Yellowknife in 2023. There are currently plans to install more chargers in Fort Providence and Enterprise in 2026. The goal is to eventually create an energy corridor that spans from Yellowknife to the Alberta-NWT border.
