The federal government approved over $4.4 million in climate subsidy payments last year for the Canadian National Railway Company (CN), one of Canada’s largest railway companies and most profitable corporations, records show.
“The purpose of this agreement is to increase awareness, availability and use of lower carbon vehicles and fuels in Canada by supporting the installation of 12 electric vehicle chargers in Quebec, 42 in Ontario and 8 in British Columbia,” Natural Resources Canada (NRCan) wrote in the inquiry.
It added that the funding was released to CN under the federal “Contributions in Support of Clean Fuels, Transportation and Industry” program.
The government’s funding to CN last year came even as the company posted record revenues of $17.1 billion that year, which was up 18 percent from the previous year, according to its 2022 annual report.
“CN once again delivered solid operating and financial performance in 2022, generating strong earnings per share and free cash flow,” the company wrote in the report.
Other Subsidies
NRCan also disclosed in the Inquiry of Ministry that it awarded millions in federal subsidies to other large companies over the past two years to install EV charging stations under the same “Contributions in Support of Clean Fuels, Transportation and Industry” program.The federal department in 2021 awarded Tesla Motors Canada (TMC) over $5 million to install 78 EV chargers in B.C. and 51 such chargers in Saskatchewan and Alberta.
In 2022, TMC received another nearly $4.8 million to build 64 EV chargers in Saskatchewan and Manitoba and 57 in Ontario.
NRCan also awarded Shell Canada over $3.9 million in 2021 to build 79 EV fast-charging stations across the country.