LAC LA BICHE - A provincial program aiming to support municipalities with Electric Vehicle (EV) charging stations has been a big hit. But, the program’s popularity means that some municipalities are being left out of the funding.
The grant program, provided by the Municipal Climate Change Action Centre (MCCAC), offered municipal applicants with a plan to construct EV stations up to $200,000 in funding to cover 100 per cent of the start-up costs.
The $3.4 million program, which was open from Jan. 18 to Aug. 9, 2022, was heavily subscribed to province-wide. And unfortunately, Lac La Biche County’s application did not make this round of funding, the municipality's Chief Administrative Officer (CAO) Dan Small reported at a council meeting on Aug.16.
“A lot of other municipalities thought it was a pretty good deal, so it was oversubscribed,” he said. The collaborative program between the federal and provincial government supports municipalities and organizations aiming to introduce green initiatives to meet net-zero targets.
For one local electric vehicle owner eager to see the chargers station become available, the news is disappointing.
No charging stations
Adrienne Yee has gone through hoops since purchasing an electric vehicle this winter, trying to find locations in the county that charge in a reasonable time when on the go. Often, Yee routinely utilizes regular 120V outlets to keep the juice flowing, even during the winter when the electric charge depletes at a faster rate due to heat usage.
“The charging time is the same,” Yee says, but the depletion is different because the car expenses an extra amount of energy keeping things warm.
The challenge was alleviated by an L2 charger located in the hamlet of Lac La Biche at the High Gears Touchless Car Wash along 99 Ave 99 St. However, the local station closed this past spring not being an option for Yee any more.
“It took me six to eight hours to charge,” Yee says, requiring them to leaving the vehicle at the site overnight during the winter months. Yee explains an L3 charger would have been ideal then and now for convenience.
“I can charge my car, even if I had to charge in a wall outlet. I can get about one per cent per hour, which is abysmally slow, but adequate to keep topped up overnight if I’m only driving about 50 km a day. At 15 cents per kWh, a full charge to over 400 km of range would cost me under $10.”
When travelling long distances to the Edmonton area it can be a challenge to find chargers along the way, Yee explained.
“If I want to go to Edmonton two weekends in a row in the winter, and I don't have at least an L2 charger accessible, I can't. I won't be able to make it because there are no chargers along the way,” Yee says.
Reduced grant option
In recent weeks, a secondary program offering a 46 per cent subsidy to construct the two L3 charging stations Lac La Biche County officials were originally hoping to install in the hamlets of Plamondon and Lac La Biche has been announced.
With a total project cost of $200,000 to build the two L3 chargers capable of charging vehicles in 30 minutes, that would leave the County on the hook for $110,000 to pay out-of-pocket, said Small.
“A recent intake now is only supporting $50,000 a site—46 per cent of the project costs. If we would want to go ahead with this, we would have to provide $110,000 of our own money," said Small.
However, this option is not feasible since the County is already stretched thin with multi-million dollar capital and infrastructure projects, alongside an almost depleted surplus account within this year's budget, said County Mayor Paul Reutov.
“It went from zero to $110,000 in a hurry… My thought alone would be pushing it over as demand increases, and bump it to next year's budget,” Reutov said.
Council motioned and advised administration during the Aug. 16 meeting to revisit EV grant opportunities for next year.
The decision is shortsighted, according to Yee, considering the growing demand among municipalities in the province.
Despite the challenges, and considering the rising cost of gas-fueled vehicles, owning an EV is still a better choice financially, Yee believes.
“I’m fortunate enough to own an electric vehicle at a time when gas prices are sky high, and I’m finally in a position where installing a L2 charger at home is feasible.”
Missed opportunity for tourism
Yee believes more access to EV charging stations is a bonus for tourists who visit the community.
“I recently took my car all the way to Invermere, B.C., mapping out and using solely L3 chargers along the way,” having to only charge once on the way, in Red Deer, and to “top up in Calgary.”
“Both times I ate at local restaurants, walked or shopped at local businesses. Honestly, it’s such a fun way to travel,” Yee says which also benefits municipalities looking to increase tourism opportunities.
Normally, from Yee’s experience, an L3 station simultaneously makes a profit while providing convenience for users.
“Most L3 charges charge the user for the convenience of a big boost of energy on a really comfortable timeframe. Often $20 per hour for electricity that costs less than $10. It's a missed opportunity for revenue generation,” said Yee.
In the future, if an opportunity arises for Lac La Biche County to implement EV stations, it would be a move in the right direction, according to Yee.
"It’s for the ever-growing pool of EV users who want to experience using their vehicles for long-distance trips, just like any other vehicle user,” Yee said. Without a charger in the community for those travelers, the County may miss out on an opportunity for EV users looking to explore and charge up, Yee added.
