​Kincardine okays application for Electric Vehicle ChargeON Program grant

Kincardine council has granted approval for staff to apply for an Electric Vehicle (EV) ChargeON Program grant through the Ministry of Transportation Ontario (MTO).

The recommendation came through a report from operations manager Corey Voisin, at the council meeting, Dec. 13.

In his report, Voisin said that the MTO launched the program Oct. 20, for communities outside large urban centres. The goal is to assist smaller communities in acquiring EV charging stations and to improve network coverage of EV fast chargers to reduce range anxiety by filling existing gaps and supporting long-distance travel.

The deadline for the application period is Jan. 31, 2024.

Voisin stated that the MTO is offering 50-75 per cent of capital funding through post-construction rebates up to $1-million per project. As the applicant, the municipality must demonstrate existing financing or intent to finance 100 per cent of project costs prior to seeking reimbursement from the ministry.

Financial support is based on the total amount of funds available for the program and the program time frame. Recipients are responsible for funding any cost over-runs related to their projects.

“We have estimated the cost of a Level 3 EV charging station at $120,000 for the municipality to fund initially,” stated Voisin. “Once the installation is complete and the charging station is operational, the MTO will cover up to 75 per cent of capital funding through post-construction rebates, providing the municipality with a rebate of up to $90,000 for the project.”

He said the expectation is that the unit would be a fee for service with some amount of revenue received by the municipality, depending on the usage. It is anticipated that revenue would be set aside for future maintenance and replacement of the new asset.

Voisin said if the municipality’s application is approved, it will have 24 months from the receipt of Letter of Agreement date to install the chargers and have them operational. After having the EV ports installed for a year, the municipality will be required to submit annual usage reports to the MTO, showing the usage date from the previous 12 months, for a five-year period.

“With the rise in the purchase of electric vehicles throughout our area, it would be beneficial to have more options to offer our community and others travelling to Kincardine,” stated Voisin. “From a tourism stand-point, it would be a good way to help promote visitors with electric vehicles to come to Kincardine and know that they will have this option available to them. This possibility helps to bridge the gap between communities and improve network coverage throughout Ontario.”

The municipality must have properties in mind for the charging stations, stated Voisin. They must be accessible and available to the public 24 hours per day, 365 days per year.

He said the staff proposal is to locate the EV charging stations at the Victoria Park parking lot along Durham Market and/or the Davidson Centre parking lot. The grant cannot be used for replacement of existing EV charging stations.

Adam Weishar, director of infrastructure and development, said the current charging stations in the municipal parking lot east of downtown Kincardine, were installed by Bruce Power in 2016-17 and are no longer operational.

He said there are a variety of options for generating revenue from the charging stations, and these can be discussed once the application has been accepted and the project is approved by the MTO.