JASPER – Council will consider approving the establishment of two new electric vehicle (EV) charging stations in the Activity Centre parking lot with minimal disruption to other users.
The charging stations would be installed through an agreement for a term of up to 15 years with SureCharge Corp., which would bear the costs of the installation and ongoing operation of these stations.
“The value of it is we can add two [stations] at no cost to us but also in a location that is more easy for residents to use and not be dodging the tourists,” said Beth Sanders, director of urban design and standards, at a Tuesday (May 27) council meeting.
Jasper currently has 11 EV charging stations, including eight Tesla Level 3 chargers and three Level 2 charging stations on the east end of town.
In early 2024, council approved participation in the EVenture charging network and the establishment of four new EV charging stations in the Connaught Drive parking lot in partnership with ATCO.
The project is in execution status but awaits Natural Resources Canada funding, and ATCO recently pulled out of the project. However, the organizer of the venture found a developer, SureCharge, to install charging stations at all 11 EVenture sites, including Jasper, this summer.
Because of the pop-up village, the rebuilding and contractor activity, administration proposed changing the location of the stations from the Connaught Drive lot to the Activity Centre lot on Bonhomme Street.
“That location is quite strategic,” said Mona El Dabee, energy and environment manager. “It’s accessible, it has the potential to serve residents and visitors alike, so we think it’s a strong location from a usability and visibility standpoint.”
While SureCharge would cover the capital and operating costs, the municipality would handle the snow removal and general upkeep of the lot.
The two new stations would be Level 3 and able to charge up to four EVs at once. Four parking stalls, around 500 square feet, would be required for the equipment and its chargers.
Coun. Ralph Melnyk asked where the chargers would be installed in the lot, noting this area also housed the food bank and recycling centre as well as a drop-off area along the curb for the daycare.
Sanders replied that council would only be deciding in general if the parking lot was a suitable location. Administration would then work with stakeholders to identify a suitable location.
Mayor Richard Ireland was concerned about the potential impact on user groups and suggested that council only approve this proposal in principle so administration could return with options for the precise location.
“That’s a good location overall, but the devil is in the details, and I would like those details to come back to us at some point so that we can make sure that we do our due diligence on behalf of community users who are not just vehicle parkers,” Ireland said.
Michael Fark, director of recovery, noted the primary consideration for the location would be the proximity to the utility corridor and access to the power required, which was “largely a technical consideration.”
“It’s not like there will be extensive options for where these can go,” Fark said.
Sanders added that “time was of the essence,” and SureCharge only had a two-week window to get funds from Natural Resources Canada. She suggested council instead provide performance expectations.
The motion was amended to clarify that the stations needed to be established with minimal disruption to all current uses of the parking lot.
Council will revisit the proposal at next week’s meeting.
