Westlock moves forward with three EV chargers

Source: Kristine Jean | · TOWN AND COUNRY TODAY · | August 25, 2022

Provincial grants will cover 80 per cent of installation bill

Source: The Town of Westlock will be installing three EV chargers — two Level 2 charger and one Level 3 charger. The stations are slated to be operational by spring 2023.

WESTLOCK - The Town of Westlock has its eye on future transportation needs and will use $140,000 in provincial grants that will cover 80 per cent of the costs for three electrical vehicle chargers.    

While work will be done on the chargers this fall, residents can expect to wait about six to eight months for installation to be complete, making the spring 2023 the earliest that people can plug in. The electric vehicle (EV) charger has been on the town’s capital budget plan for a number of years and was deemed to be a priority by council after Westlock residents expressed a desire to see more electric vehicle chargers in their community.

At the Aug. 8 regular council meeting, councillors voted to amend the capital budget item DPC70-69 EV charger, to allow for additional electric vehicle chargers in town, expanding the scope from one Level 2 charger (at an original cost of $57,500 of which $31,625 was grant funding) to two Level 2 chargers and one Level 3 charger for a total cost of $193,000, which includes a contingency, $140,000 in grant funding, $51,433 from general operating reserve and $1,567 from corporate contribution.

As Canada moves toward meeting its climate goals, grants have been made available to communities via the Municipal Climate Change Action Centre, to install EV chargers to help meet the anticipated demands of an increased number of electric vehicles on the roads.