Pilot project to power up GTA for electric vehicles
The Toronto Star was first to report in September that Sandra Pupatello, then minister of economic development and trade, had held meetings with Palo Alto, Calif.-based Better Place to discuss ways of turning the Toronto region into an electric transportation hub.
Better Place has already struck similar partnerships with Israel, Denmark and Australia and has raised more than $200 million in private capital, which will go toward developing a sophisticated network of charging spots and robot-controlled battery-exchange stations in high-density regions of each country.
The company was founded a year ago by 38-year-old software maverick Shai Agassi, who will be in Toronto for today's announcement. Better Place would make its money by setting up regional Electric Recharge Grid Operators, which would sell energy to electric car drivers as part of a monthly subscription — like a cellphone service plan that sells electricity instead of minutes.
Pupatello, who represents a riding in Windsor, a city that's been devastated by auto layoffs, said she learned about the initiative during a meeting last summer in Turkey with officials of French automaker Renault S.A. Renault, in alliance with Nissan, has agreed to manufacture electric cars for Better Place projects in Israel and Denmark.
Better Place says the Greater Toronto Area is an appealing market because of its population density of roughly five million people. Documents presented by the company last summer show a willingness to invest more than $150 million in Ontario to set up a local grid operator and infrastructure to support 100,000 electric-car subscribers within 80 to 160 kilometres of Toronto.
Related News

Stellat'en and Innergex Sign Wind Deal with BC Hydro
VANCOUVER - In December 2024, a significant development unfolded in British Columbia's renewable energy sector as Stellat'en First Nation and Innergex Renewable Energy Inc. announced the signing of a 30-year electricity purchase agreement with BC Hydro. This agreement pertains to the Nithi Mountain Wind Project, a 200 MW initiative poised to enhance the province's clean energy capacity.
Project Overview
The Nithi Mountain Wind Project is a collaborative venture between Stellat'en First Nation, which holds a 51% stake, and Innergex Renewable Energy Inc., which holds a 49% stake. Located in the Bulkley-Nechako region of British Columbia, the project is expected to…