Oshawa, Ontario – Oshawa Power is excited to announce its plan for installing and managing Level 2 chargers for the downtown core, creating a new opportunity for residents and visitors to charge their electric vehicles.
According to a 2016 census, Durham Region commuters have the highest percentage of long commutes — over an hour each way (22.4%) within the Greater Toronto and Hamilton Area (GTHA). Durham commutes are also comparatively GHG intensive and are therefore an important demographic to target for EV adoption.
As part of a community assessment regarding EV adoption in Oshawa, the top five barriers to ownership for non EV owners included: High cost of EVs, availability of public chargers, range anxiety, fear of battery failure, charging time, and limited cargo space.
Oshawa Power, Natural Resources Canada (NRCan), Durham Region and the City of Oshawa are hopeful that this installation is just the beginning of removing barriers to ownership. With partial financial support from NRCan, Oshawa Power will install and operationalize eight (8) EV Chargers in four upcoming downtown on-street parking locations. Locations are currently being finalized with the City.
Mayor Carter agrees with the on-street charging approach, “As Canada’s fastest-growing city and an increasing number of EVs registered in Oshawa and surrounding areas, it is vital to be able to support their adoption. As the landscape changes, on-street charging is modernization and a positive step forward for residents and visitors.”
These installations support the move for EV transition in Ontario. Currently, Oshawa is the only community supporting on-street public charging within Durham, putting Oshawa in a leadership position with other major metropolitan areas in Canada such as Toronto, Montreal and Vancouver.
The Level 2 chargers offer speed, reliability, an optimal range output, and peace of mind to meet the travel needs of EV drivers. These chargers are designed to provide nearly a full charge in 2 hours or less – approximately the same time it takes to enjoy a meal, watch a show or attend a hockey game.
Oshawa Power will assume the charging costs for use as part of its commitment to support EV adoption. It will be free for users coming to the downtown core for a summer promotional period, encouraging residents and visitors to visit the core, ending September 15, 2022. At that point, standard EV rates will apply. In addition, the EV charging spots will be discoverable on various networks, such as Plugshare, Waze, and Google Maps.
“As businesses emerge from the pandemic, adding EV charging is a modern way to attract residents and visitors to the downtown core. This project will open the doors to other initiatives to make Oshawa a safer, more digitally-enabled and economically prosperous community,” said President and CEO Ivano Labricciosa.
“This is perfect timing for our businesses to be welcoming visitors to the area, knowing that range is no longer a concern for EV drivers. Users of the spots can park, have lunch, shop, have a meeting, and when they return, feel confident that their car will be ready to continue with their journey,” added Jason King, CEO of the Oshawa Chamber of Commerce.
Media Contact:
Oshawa Power Communications
communications@opuc.on.ca
