IKEA Canada invests in EV charging infrastructure

11 May 2023 HGO Staff

BURLINGTON, Ontario – As part of its drive to become carbon neutral, IKEA Canada is expanding its electric vehicle charging network with the addition of 25 stations at five of its stores in Ontario and Quebec.

In a statement, this country’s second largest furniture retailer said it secured $300,000 in funding from Natural Resources Canada's Zero Emissions Vehicle Infrastructure Program (ZEVIP) in 2022, to which it added $305,000 of its own funds to install the stations at their stores in Ottawa, Montreal, Boucherville and Quebec City as well as its distribution centre in Beauharnois, Quebec.

IKEA Canada’s goal is to reach 100% zero-emission home deliveries by 2025 and a 50% reduction in co-worker and customer emissions by 2030. IKEA currently has EV charging stations at 14 stores across Canada.

A delivery truck operated by last-mile provider GoBolt recharges at a new commercial charging station at IKEA Ottawa (CNW Group/IKEA Canada). “Through the ZEVIP program, we were able to accelerate our investment in the long-term future of our business, our fulfillment network, and our partnerships with transport service providers which use zero-emission delivery vehicles,” IKEA Canada head of fulfilment sourcing Crystal Rasa said. “As a business whose operations have a direct effect on people’s lives and the environment, and which can contribute to a positive change, we are taking responsibility. Our ambition is to not only move IKEA forward, but to inspire and drive change for our communities and society.”

“We’re making electric vehicles more affordable and charging more accessible where Canadians live, work and play,” added Jonathan Wilkinson, Minister of Natural Resources. “Investing in more EV chargers, like the ones announced in Quebec and Ontario, will put more Canadians in the driver’s seat on the road to a net-zero future and help achieve our climate goals.”

Rasa noted the installation of four commercial EV charging stations at the IKEA Ottawa store marked a significant milestone in the retailer’s efforts to reduce its climate footprint. With these charging stations, GoBolt, its last-mile delivery partner, was able to begin using two EV delivery trucks for home deliveries in Ottawa. In a similar move, IKEA and another last-mile delivery partner, Metro Supply Chain, installed a mobile EV charging centre at the IKEA Coquitlam store in the fall of 2022, enabling the operation of three EV delivery trucks in the region.

IKEA Canada was recently recognized for its sustainable practices, having been named one of Canada’s Greenest Employers by Mediacorp Canada Inc., for the 15th consecutive year.

“As Canada's largest home furnishing retailer, we believe it’s our responsibility to have a positive impact on people and the planet, and that we are big enough to make a difference,” says Helene Loberg, the retailer’s country sustainability manager.

IKEA Canada is part of Ingka Group which operates 389 IKEA stores in 32 countries, including 14 in Canada. Last year, IKEA Canada welcomed 26 million visitors to its stores and 189 million visitors to IKEA.ca.