https://www.kingstonist.com/mp-gerretsen-announces-funding-for-new-electric-vehicle-fast-charging-stations/
MP Gerretsen announces funding for new electric vehicle fast charging
stations
Tori Stafford January 17, 2019
Canadians continue to make more sustainable choices, and electric and
alternative fuel vehicles play a big role in Canada’s low-carbon future.
On Thursday, Jan. 17, 2019, a number of Kingstonians attended the
Kingston Climate Change Symposium, presented by Sustainable Kingston and
City of Kingston at The Grand Theather. Those in attendance found out
about how the federal government is providing more means of
transportation for Canadians while reducing their carbon footprint,
particularly here in Kingston with electric vehicle (EV) charging stations.
On behalf of Canada’s Minister of Natural Resources, the Honourable
Amarjeet Sohi, Member of Parliament for Kingston and the Island, Mark
Gerretsen, announced a $100,000 federal investment to build two Level
Three EV fast charging stations in our very own downtown core. That
funding will go toward the $280,000 price tag of the two new
fast-charging stations, and therefore towards the “clean growth” of
Canada, Gerretsen explained.
“The world is at a pivotal moment, the time when climate change is one
of the greatest challenges of our generation, when clean energy
solutions are the new imperative, and when investing in clean technology
and green infrastructure is essential to future success,” Gerretsen said.
“Our vision for Canada in the century of clean growth is what we are
here to accomplish, to celebrate an important milestone in our city’s
transition to a cleaner and even brighter future.”
Built by the City of Kingston and partly funded through Natural
Resources Canada’s Electric Vehicle and Alternative Fuel Infrastructure
Deployment Initiative, the chargers are scheduled to be available fall
of 2019.
“When these two new stations are completed in the fall, they will be
among our city’s first level three fast chargers, enabling more drivers
and more friends and neighbours to make switches to electric vehicles,”
Gerretsen said.
“This matters because the transportation sector is responsible for about
25 per cent of Canada’s greenhouse gas emissions, and three-fourths of
those emissions come from just two sources: passenger vehicles and
trucks, and heavy-duty commercial vehicles.”
This funding is part of the Federal Government’s $182.5 million
investment to develop a nationwide charging network for electric
vehicles and to establish natural gas stations along key freight
corridors and hydrogen stations in Canadian metropolitan centres. To
avoid cross-border issues, this investment will also ensure Canada–U.S.
alignment of regulations for low-carbon vehicles and refuelling
infrastructure.
For Peter Huigenbos, director of real estate and environmental
initiatives for the City of Kingston, the announcement was welcomed with
open arms, as Kingstonians are increasingly using the already existing
42 Level Two EV charging stations in the city, the first of which was
installed in July of 2018.
“I really am appreciative of natural resources Canada and their program
to help municipalities like ours put this network of fast charging
stations in place, because that’s what electric vehicle drivers need
now. They want to be able to feel confident that they will be able to
get from where they are to where they need to go and there’s going to be
charging infrastructure along the way in case they need it,” Huigenbos said.
The Level Two charging stations take approximately four hours to deliver
a full charge to a vehicle, Huigenbos explained. The new Level Three
stations will be able to do that in as little as 30 to 40 minutes. Both
will be installed in the Frontenac Parking Lot, which is located beside
the Leon’s Centre.
“We’ve seen the use of the charging stations gradually growing, even
with the removal of the financial incentive for people to buy electric
vehicles in Ontario. I think at last count we were at over 2,500 unique
charging sessions since they were installed,” Huigenbos said.
“There’s definitely a growing demand.”
And, in response to quip Gerretsen made as he was exiting the Symposium
where he stated only EVs should be able to park in spots with EV
charging stations – a joke that received a healthy round of applause
from the audience, Huigenbos said that changes to the parking bylaws are
being looked into.
“We are bringing an information report to city council on Tuesday, Jan.
22, and it will have a lot of information in the report about that, but
in a nutshell, what we’re saying is that this is all very brand new, and
we expect that we will need to change our parking bylaws at some point
to allow enforcement of EV-only charging and parking,” he said.
To find electric vehicle charging station in Kingston or elsewhere in
Canada check out ChargeHub.
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https://www.thewhig.com/news/local-news/feds-chip-in-100k-for-vehicle-charging-stations
Feds chip in $100K for vehicle charging stations
Elliot Ferguson
Published on: January 17, 2019
The federal government is providing $100,000 to fund the creation of two
new fast-charging stations in the city.
The money from Natural Resources Canada, announced at Thursday’s
Kingston Climate Change Symposium, is to pay a portion of the $280,000
total costs for two of the city’s planned Level 3 charging stations in
the city’s downtown.
“The move to electric vehicles is an integral part of our move toward a
clean energy future,” Kingston and the Islands MP Mark Gerretsen said
while announcing the federal funding. “Our government is proud to invest
in EV fast-charging stations in Kingston that will provide cleaner
transportation options for its residents and visitors.”
In 2017, the city approved almost $800,000 to build a network of vehicle
charging stations across the city.
The network is to include two 450-volt Level 3 stations, 25 220-volt
Level 2 stations and two 120-volt Level 1 charging stations to be
installed at parking lots, arenas and other city-owned sites.
The plan also committed $82,000 to provide electric vehicle drivers free
access to the Level 1 and 2 charging stations for two years.
The federal funding is part of almost $183 million in federal funding to
develop a coast-to-coast network of electric vehicle charging stations
and natural gas stations along key freight corridors, and hydrogen
stations in metropolitan centres.
Paul McLatchy, the city’s environment director, said the federal funding
would reduce the cost of the charging network to the city.
In a statement, Mayor Bryan Paterson welcomed the federal support.
“We’ve made significant investments in electric vehicle charging
stations in an effort to reduce our community’s carbon footprint,”
Paterson said. “That’s why I’m pleased that the federal government is
investing in two fast chargers in downtown Kingston. This will help us
reach our ambitious clean energy goals even faster.”
The electric vehicle charging network is part of the city’s Kingston
Climate Action Plan’s goal of cutting emissions from city-owned
buildings and vehicles by 15 per cent by 2020 and 30 per cent by 2030.
