January 25, 2016
EV Government Grants – January 2016
In mid January 2016 the provincial government announced a $20 million investment in developing a private network of publically accessible Electric Vehicle Charging Stations. The program involves giving grants equal to up to 100% of the cost of creating the charging stations subject to specific criteria.
The locations include a vast array of non-government locations that are accessible by all electric vehicle owners and could include, in some rare situations, condominiums. These conditions for program consideration include, but are not limited to:
The sites proximity to large busy highway intersections, public access, proximity to tourist areas, parking lot installations, and limited to being within 80 kilometers of other similar charging stations. It is because of these conditions that we are not optimistic of the advantages to, or the ability of, condominiums to participate in this program.
As the program application period closes the middle of February 2016, there is limited time to explore the advantages to condominiums and we are cognizant of the potential negative impacts on aesthetics and security to a condominium when building a publically accessible service on private property. This program seems to be more beneficial to parking lot owners, commercial parking areas, parks and institutions than to multi-residential applications.
As the author of the EV Charging Station White paper Brookfield Condominium Services Limited applauds the government for working with private enterprise to create an electric vehicle charging grid and we will continue to monitor the government programs and weigh them against the needs and processes currently in place for condominium buildings.
