Accelerate, Canada’s Zero-Emission Vehicle (ZEV) Supply Chain Alliance, and ChargePoint, a leading electric vehicle (EV) charging network, today
released a report by Dunsky Energy + Climate Advisors, which provides a snapshot of the potential for
industry-wide EV installation jobs based on projected demand for EV chargers in Canada. The report,
EV Charging and Jobs in
Canada, provides an initial assessment of the jobs required for EV charging
installations, highlighting the need for continued workforce development to support a successful transition to
ZEVs in Canada.
Prior Natural
Resources Canada estimates indicate that by 2035 Canada will need up to 475,000 public
charging ports and over 2 million ports in multi-unit residential buildings. The new report
estimates that by 2035, up to 3,500 total full-time equivalent positions may need to be filled
for critical roles across ZEV charging infrastructure, such as electricians or civil and general
contractors. The report notes that these jobs are already in demand in every corner of Canada, and with an
aging demographic in the skilled trades, ensuring the stability of the labour market for these skilled trades is
critical to Canada’s net-zero transition.
“We believe the movement towards mass adoption of zero-emission vehicles in Canada will be a catalyst for job
creation across the supply chain,” said Matthew Fortier, CEO of Accelerate. “This report provides
the industry and policymakers with a broad look at how quickly the demand for labour will ramp up and what kinds
of roles are required to meet that demand. Applying a whole of supply chain approach to job creation will
ensure Canada fully realizes this great potential and supports the scale and pace of deployment needed to
support future ZEV drivers.”
In addition to the estimated 3,500 direct jobs EV charging infrastructure will generate, the EV
Charging and Jobs in Canada report also outlines that indirect job creation benefits will
also be generated throughout the supply chain, including upstream jobs associated with electricity production to
fuel the site, necessary changes to the transmission and distribution network, manufacturing of electrical
distribution equipment and transformers, transportation of equipment to each site, and downstream jobs
associated with EV charging network operators and producers, and charging station maintenance.
“As Canadians transition to EVs, they will need access to charging at home, around town, and close to highways,”
said Suzanne Goldberg, senior director of public policy, ChargePoint. “This report highlights the job
creation potential with large-scale deployment of EV charging stations to meet the needs of Canadian drivers in
2035. With more than 19,000 public chargers currently deployed across the country and an estimated need of
475,000, plus additional multi-unit residential building ports in just over ten years, there is immense
opportunity for the current and next generation of skilled tradespeople in Canada’s labour market.”
This study provides an initial assessment of what may be required to facilitate an important part of the
transition to ZEVs. Ongoing analysis and investment in targeted skills development and training and continued
efforts to attract high school and post-secondary students will also be necessary to meet this need. Recruitment
should also extend to underrepresented communities in the trades, such as women and Indigenous persons, to
ensure that the benefits of the transition are felt by everyone.
About ChargePoint
ChargePoint is creating a new fueling network to move people and goods on electricity. Since 2007, ChargePoint
has been committed to making it easy for businesses and drivers to go electric with one of the largest EV
charging networks in North America and Europe and a comprehensive portfolio of charging solutions. The
ChargePoint cloud subscription platform and software-defined charging hardware are designed to include options
for every charging scenario from home and multifamily to workplace, parking, hospitality, retail and transport
fleets of all types. Today, one ChargePoint account provides access to hundreds of thousands of places to charge
in North America and Europe. To date, more than 133 million charging sessions have been delivered, with drivers
plugging into the ChargePoint network on average every second. For more information, visit the ChargePoint
pressroom, the ChargePoint Investor Relations site, or contact the ChargePoint North American or
European press offices or Investor Relations.
ChargePoint
AJ Gosselin
Director, Corporate Communications
Accelerate
Carrie Croft
Director, Communications
Building Canadian Power in Advanced Battery Materials
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