MCCAC – EV Charging program
The government of Canada and the provincial government of Alberta are teaming up to help bring electric vehicle charging stations to your municipality. This program will cover up to 100% of the costs for setting up electric vehicle charging stations on municipal owned land. Imagine your municipality having charging stations at your public library or your local community pool or hockey rink. Or your municipality having its own electric vehicle fleet keeping our air clean.
The Canadian government’s recent ban on the sale of gas cars and light duty trucks is to take place around 2035. Municipalities need to ensure they are supporting the transition to electric vehicles for their citizens and their own fleet vehicles. This funding provides the opportunity for municipalities to expand their charging infrastructure with little to no risk. It also allows for learning in implementing this new technology.
Electric vehicles have different level charge stations, Levels 1, 2, 3, respectively. Level 1 charging is the slowest charging method and is covered by the MCCAC. Level 2 charges at a much faster rate of 19 to 120 km/hr. The range of charging speed is determined by the output of the charger and the max rate the vehicle can charge at. Level two is the most common charging level and is the recommended level for public charging. Level 3 are fast chargers and make up the majority of the rebate table below. The Municipal Climate Change Action Centre (MCCAC) provides a table of rebates for charging below.
| Charger Type | Technology Conditions | Maximum Rebate |
|---|---|---|
| Networked Level 2 Connectors 3.3 kW to 19.22 kW | Any Commercially available and network-capable EV Chaging station certified for use in Canada. The charger must have a SAE J1772 standard plug head or be a proprietary** connector type rated for a minimum of 3.3kW power output. | Up to 100% of total cots, to a maximum of $10,000 per connector* |
| Networked Fast Charger 20 kW to 49 kW | Any commercially available and network-capable EV Charging station certified for use in Canada. The fast charger must have at least one (1) chaDEmO charger connector and one (1) CCS charger connector to be proprietary** connector type rated for a minimum of 20kW power output. | Up to 100% of total costs, to a maximum of 30,000 per fast charger |
| Networked Fast Charger 50 kW to 99 kW | Any commercially available and network-capable EV Charging station certified for use in Canada. The fast charger must have at least on (1) CCS charger conector or be a proprietary** connector type rated for a minimum of 50 kW power output. | Up to 100% of total costs, to a maximum of $100,000 per fast charger |
| Networked Fast Charger 100 kW and above | Any commercially available and network-capable EV charging station certified for use in Canada. The fast charger must have at least one (1) CHAdeMo charger connector and one (1) CCS charger connector or be a proprietary** connector type rated for a minimum of 100 kW power outtput. | Up to 100% of total costs, to a maximum of $150,000 per fast charger |
* To Qualify for Level 2 rebatee funding per connector, each connector must be able to charge a vehicle and support a parking space simultaneously. Fast Charging Station funding is based on the number of chargers.
** Proprietrary connector types can represent a maximum of 75% of aall charging connectors installed at the same project.
(MCCAC, 2022)
Why is it important to have EV chargers in your municipality?
Electric vehicle owners base their direction of travel on where the best chargers are for their route. Having access to chargers in your municipality puts you on their stop location for a charge. Those who come to charge visit nearby stores, check out local shops and coffee spots, and visit any attractions to make the most out of their stop.
When it comes to site location there are three main things you need to consider:
What utility service does your location have available? Is your local area distribution set up to handle the increased power requirements of the charge stations? This involves reviewing what transformers are in the area and how much power is currently being used and at what times you can expect peak usage.
How long will the vehicles be charging for? If you have longer charge times available like work locations, malls, or the pool your charge station will differ then if you have a short rest stop which would require a fast charger.
How visible is the station? For fleet vehicles public visibility will not be pertinent, however for public charging you need to make sure the location can accommodate signage as this is one of the program’s requirements.
MCCAC Assistance
Moving through the application process is made easier as the MCCAC provides one on one support to aid in the completion of the application. With a 100% return it is not without limitations. Your municipality should be aware there is a spending cap of $200,000 to ensure funds are split across locations in Alberta. You can find out more about this in the .
We Can Help
Dandelion Renewables contributes to the planet’s sustainable energy future by offering a wide range of environmental solutions. We offer a full service site visit to better understand your needs and ensure you get the maximum benefit and value out of the grants available. Our engineering team will help answer all the unknowns when it comes to setting up your new chargers for your municipality. We are proud to be one of the top-rated solar and renewable energy contractors in Western Canada. Contact us for more information. Check out our recent in depth EV blog post.
Citations
MCCAC. (n.d.). Electric vehicle charging program – mccac.ca. EVCP-Guidebook. Retrieved February 4, 2022, from https://mccac.ca/app/uploads/EVCP-Guidebook.pdf