Eight new electric vehicle charging stations have been installed in the Town of Essex thanks to grant from Aviva Canada’s Charged for Change program, delivered with Earth Day Canada.
Four Level 2 chargers are now available in the Wilson Street parking lot at Heritage Gardens Park, and four more have been added at the Harrow Arena parking lot.
David McBeth, manager, capital works and asset management, Essex, said the $99,000 grant paid for 100 per cent of the installation at no cost to taxpayers.
"Having it here at Heritage Park allows us to have parking for electric vehicles in our downtown core and the one out in Harrow, at the arena, was the most obvious choice for us because of the amount of use at the centre there," he said.
McBeth said using the charging stations is pretty straight forward.
"We do a flat rate charge. I believe it's $3 for the hour and so you can use it when you park to do shopping in Essex or if you're here in our facility. There's a QR code that you can scan on the unit and pay with it over your phone to a credit card," McBeth said.
He said the town currently has two electric vehicles including a truck for community services and an SUV for infrastructure services.
"We are looking to get a hybrid vehicle for our bylaw department this year. Apart of the council strategic plan due in 2027 is a fleet plan for electrifying the fleet to see what we'll be doing moving forward," said McBeth.
The town said it remains committed to increasing access to sustainable transportation infrastructure and looks forward to supporting future initiatives that promote environmental stewardship and community well-being.