The Ontario government is offering grants to help offset the cost of electric vehicle (EV) charging stations. Callander, which recently expressed interest in installing public chargers, is keeping an eye on the application dates.
However, municipal staff will wait to pounce until council has more details about the future of public EV chargers within the municipality.
See: Charging stations coming to Callander?
This past August, a delegation from Ivy Charging Network came to council to provide information about installing charging stations in Callander. The presenters explained that on average, a Level 2 charging station runs between $1,500 and $4,000. Add on installation costs, and the price could reach $20,000.
The Level 3 charging units – which charge faster than a Level 2 – start in the $50,000 range. Plus, installation fees.
This past summer, East Ferris installed two FLO EV chargers outside of the Municipal Office. Both were Level 2 chargers, and a grant from Earth Day Canada, which was sponsored by Aviva, covered the cost of purchasing and installation. That grant was for $15,000.
See: East Ferris charging drivers up this summer
The Ontario grant Callander has been eyeing is called the EV ChargeON Program. According to the Ontario website, the purpose of the program is to increase the amount of charging stations in communities outside of major cities, and “encourage more people to switch to EVs.”
Municipal governments are encouraged to apply, as are businesses, not-for-profits, and Indigenous communities, organizations, or businesses. The maximum amount of funding per project is $1 million.
Municipalities and Indigenous businesses, organizations and communities can receive up to 75 per cent of a proposed project. Other applicants are eligible for up to 50 per cent of the total project cost.
The current deadline for application is January 31, 2024, at 5 p.m.
However, Callander staff will keep watch for the next intake round, “when a plan is in place for the installation and location of EV chargers,” to ensure the town has a “comprehensive plan” before asking for the funds.
David Briggs is a Local Journalism Initiative reporter who works out of BayToday, a publication of Village Media. The Local Journalism Initiative is funded by the Government of Canada.
