WHEREAS at their meeting of September 9, 2019 Council approved entering into a Memorandum of Understanding with Ontario Power Generation (OPG) that OPG would install, own, operate and maintain 8 electric chargers in Cobourg; and
WHEREAS the Sustainability and Climate Change Advisory Committee (SCCAC) has learned that the Town of Cobourg has not proceeded with the installation of these 8 electric vehicle chargers Council, and for which they would receive the benefit of the $5,000/per charger one-time installation grant from Natural Resources Canada ($40,000 grant in total); and
WHEREAS as Cobourg’s Municipal Clerk listed in his Staff Report to Council of September 5, 2019 the benefits of this ‘turnkey’ arrangement include:
- avoid high upfront installation costs
- not being responsible for the installation, maintenance and operation of the charging stations which will be done by OPG;
- provides seamless user experience by connecting site hosts to a wider Ontario based network of EV chargers; and
WHEREAS the cost of the electricity used to charge the vehicle would be added to the bill of the site host, who would recover this cost through the price charged to the drivers; and
WHEREAS in September 2019 OPG and Hydro One formed a limited partnership named Ontario Charging Network LP referred to as ‘IVY’, which can be found on the internet under Ivy Charging Network https://ivycharge.com/about-ivy/, to assume their role with regard to electric vehicle charging stations as mentioned above meaning that Cobourg would now contract with IVY; and
WHEREAS in a recent email dated April 15, 2021 Hydro One confirmed that the cost to Cobourg to contract with IVY would be $1,650 per charger, which when including the tax of 1.75% that Cobourg pays would total $13,432 per year for the 8 chargers; which price includes the charger, installation, maintenance, software, remote support/call centre, and marketing/signage; and
WHEREAS in a recent email dated May 20th 2021 Hydro One confirmed that Cobourg could have the 8 charging ports installed this year (2021), with payment to IVY deferred into 2022, while receiving the benefit of the $5,000/per charger one-time grant from Natural Resources Canada that is only available for 2021; and
WHEREAS establishing a public EV charging infrastructure is an action in the Cobourg Community Climate Action Plan, and is recognized Canada-wide as one of the measures to address the climate emergency; and
WHEREAS the lack of access to electric vehicle charging stations is a deterrent to people buying electric vehicles, or conversely as the Municipal Clerk states in his report, according to experts, access to localized and visible charging infrastructure is key to alleviate consumer concerns about where to charge their vehicles; and
WHEREAS the Sustainability and Climate Emergency Advisory Committee (SCEAC) has had recent email exchanges with Laurie Wills, Director of Public Works, to address her concerns; and
WHEREAS given the delay by Cobourg in moving forward on these EV chargers it may be too late to have them installed in 2021 meaning the price Ivy quoted Cobourg would be dependent on Ivy getting an extension from NRCan or applying for a new round of NRCan funds; and
WHEREAS the need to address the Climate Emergency is ever more urgent as time moves on, and additional actions must be implemented;
NOW THEREFORE the SCCAC Recommends that in recognition of the dire climate emergency we are facing which requires unprecedented action, Cobourg Council approve that:
- the installation of 8 electric chargers (i.e. 4 dual head charging stations) be completed as soon as possible at the locations identified by Public Works and Lakefront Utilities as follows:
- 2 dual chargers to charge 4 vehicles at the Cobourg Community Centre
- 1 dual charger on lower Division St. next to Victoria Park
- 1 dual charger in the Cobourg Harbour parking lot; and
- if still possible to have installed in 2021, that funds for the 2021 annual cost for the 8 chargers be found within Cobourg’s 2021 budget, or that the 2021 annual cost of these 8 chargers plus the 2022 annual cost of these 8 chargers be included in the 2022 budget; and
- should it be too late to have these chargers installed in 2021 that as soon as this is determined Cobourg actively work with Ivy to seek an extension of the grant from NRCan or with Ivy apply for a new round of NRCan funds.
Attachments:
- Staff Report to Council from the Municipal Clerk dated Sept 5, 2019 re Zero-Emission Vehicle Infrastructure Program Partnership with OPC
- Signed Memorandum of Understanding with OPG;
- By-law authorizing the Mayor and Municipal Clerk to sign the Memorandum of Understanding
- IVY EV Charging Services Agreement with Cobourg.
- This Agreement provides that IVY and the Site Host will jointly develop a marketing and customer promotion strategy; and
- This Agreement also allows Ivy to increase the price by the CPI inflation; however, in a recent email dated April 9, 2021, Hydro One advises that for the first five years most of their costs are fixed
- April 15, 2021 email from Nicholas Fraser of Ontario HydroOne re cost of chargers and what the cost includes
- May 20, 2021 email from Nicholas Fraser of Ontario HydroOne re Cobourg being able to defer 2021 payment, and OPG and HydroOne signing partnership agreement.