Investment in electric vehicle chargers across Ontario announced in Aurora

Nine EV charges in Aurora installed last fall, four more coming to Aurora Town Square

yorkregion.com
Lisa Queen
March 16, 2022

Aurora was used as the backdrop for the federal government to announce a further investment in electric vehicle (EV) charging stations.

On March 9, Aurora-Oak Ridges-Richmond Hill MP Leah Taylor Roy was at the Town Park to announce a $315,000 investment in Ivy Charging Network, a joint project between Hydro One Limited and Ontario Power Generation, to install 63 Level 2 EV chargers across Ontario.

Nine dual-head chargers allowing 18 electric vehicles to charge at a time, were installed in Aurora in the fall.

A further four stations are set to be installed at Aurora Town Square. The date of installation has yet to be confirmed.

Currently charging stations are available at the six following Aurora locations:

• Joint Operations Centre, 229 Industrial Pkwy. N.
• Stronach Aurora Recreation Complex, 1400 Wellington St. E.
• Aurora Town Hall, 100 John West Way
• Aurora Family Leisure Complex, 135 Industrial Pkwy. N.
• Aurora Community Centre, 1 Community Centre Lane
• Aurora Armoury, 89 Mosley St.

Drivers pay $2.50 an hour to charge their cars.

To support an expanded EV charging station program that does not burden the taxpayer, the town has shifted to a cost recovery model, with a per hour charging rate competitive with the cost of other public charging stations in the Greater Toronto Area. This user fee helps offset the costs of electricity and maintenance of the stations, a town spokesperson said.

Funded through Natural Resources Canada’s Zero-Emission Vehicle Infrastructure Program, chargers have been available to Ontario drivers since Dec. 2021, a statement from the federal government said.

Hydro One Limited and OPG also contributed a combined investment of more than $340,000, bringing the total project cost to more than $650,000.

“Since 2015, Canada has invested $1 billion to make EVs more affordable and chargers more accessible for Canadians. These investments are supporting the establishment of a coast-to-coast network of chargers in local areas where Canadians live, work and play, while federal rebates of up to $5,000 are helping more Canadians make the switch to an EV,” the federal statement said.

“These investments are yet another step in reaching Canada’s target of ensuring all new passenger vehicles sold in Canada are zero-emission by 2035.”