CENTRE WELLINGTON – The township is applying for grant funding to install eight new electric vehicle charging stations in Fergus and Elora.
According to a new report approved during council Monday afternoon, four of these electric vehicle (EV) charging stations are planned for the Fergus Curling Club parking lot while the other four would be installed in Bissel Park's east parking lot in Elora.
To pay for the stations, staff have applied for funding from the Ontario Electric Vehicle (EV) ChargeON Program, which provides funding for the installation of public EV chargers in Ontario communities outside of major cities.
However, the grant only became known to staff after budget deliberations which means the project is not accounted for in the 2024 budget.
With total project costs in the vicinity of $81,500, grant funding is capped at 75 per cent and the township has committed to funding 25 per cent, estimated to be $21,500, which would be allocated from the General Capital Reserve.
If the grant money is received, the project will be completed in-house and utilize infrastructure services staff for planning, design, procurement, construction and rehabilitation to "minimize costs and maximize grant funding."
Centre Wellington Hydro has also agreed to install the new electrical infrastructure as needed.
Isabel Buckmaster is the Local Journalism Initiative reporter for GuelphToday. LJI is a federally-funded program.
