Community Energy Association

The trusted independent advisor to local governments on climate and energy

Regional EV Charging Network Strategy (SW Ontario)

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Electric Vehicle (EV) ownership has grown considerably in Ontario, along with opportunities for rural communities to benefit from EV tourism. The partnership of County of Wellington, County of Dufferin, County of Perth, County of Huron, Bruce County, County of Grey, City of Guelph, City of Stratford, and Nuclear Innovation Institute want to ensure residents and businesses in their collective region are afforded the opportunity to benefit from the transition to EVs. By working together and across boundaries, they can amplify success and gain more from their resources than they can alone. Specifically, the partners realized that when they implemented stations independently, they had an insufficient network; by collaborating, they can leverage time and resources to build a cohesive charging experience that allows EV drivers to travel throughout the region. Currently, the region has 22 Level 3 (DC Fast Charging) and 145 Level 2 EV charging stations for public use.

Strategically designing an EV charging network that facilitates travel to and within a region is particularly important in rural areas where distances between communities are large, yet critical services often require travel to neighbouring areas. There are two key benefits of thoughtfully designing and implementing a charging network.

  • First, it can make EV ownership more realistic for rural residents as well as urban residents who want the ability to visit rural amenities.
  • Second, supporting EV travel builds co-benefits.

Beyond the driver experience, the partners recognized that by strategically deploying fast charging stations throughout the area, they ensure the communities in their region gain economic and environmental benefits from EV travel – enhanced tourism and lower pollution, respectively.

The partners hired Community Energy Association (CEA), to develop this strategy. CEA created and facilitated a process to support the partners to succeed in installing Level 3 (DC Fast Charging) and Level 2 charging stations that contribute to the network as a whole while offering benefits to the host community.

This regional EV charging network strategy proposes the installation of an additional seventeen Level 3 (DC Fast Charging) EV charging stations and 13 banks (at least four stations) of Level 2 EV charging stations across the area. To ensure the network is constructed to meet current and future (>five plus years) demand and technology advances, this strategy proposes the installation of at least two >100kw Level 3 (DC Fast Charging) EV charging stations at each identified location.

Level 3 (DC Fast Charging) stations will primarily serve longer-distance travelers passing through a community. Banks of Level 2 charging stations will compliment these core fast charging stations because they service visitors who are coming to the community for a longer stay and as such must be sited strategically at destinations with a longer (2+ hours) dwell time. Increasing the number of Level 2 chargers across the region can also benefit residents who may not have access to home charging. This coordinated approach can reduce prolonged dwell time that some of the partners identified as a challenge at locations where access to EV charging is limited. The strategy also explores potential solutions to further address dwell time.