The Township of North Glengarry has decided to withdraw from the EV ChargeON program, which offered funding for the installation of two electric vehicle charging stations in the municipal parking lot in Alexandria.
Proceeding with this project would place undue financial strain on municipal resources, Public Works Director Tim Wright informed council at its most recent meeting.
The township has requested $110,548.50 from the provincial program and committed an additional $90,000 from municipal funds, for a total project cost of $200,548.00. But since the project was approved initial project approval, “Several developments have emerged that significantly impact both the viability and financial sustainability of this initiative,” Wright related.
The township’s funding was reduced from $110,548.50 to $90,000 by the Ministry of Transportation. This shortfall would require additional municipal contributions beyond what was budgeted. Recent geotechnical assessments have identified critical deficiencies in the parking lot, indicating substantial reconstruction and drainage improvements are required — costs not accounted for in the original budgeting process. Estimates for design, materials, and construction have come in approximately 20% higher than initially anticipated. The ongoing ownership and maintenance responsibilities associated with EV charging infrastructure have resulted in higher-than-anticipated insurance premiums.
The municipality will now allocate the $90,000 it had allotted for the chargers towards upgrading the Glengarry Sports Palace parking lot.
