If you drive an electric vehicle (EV) or are in the market to buy one, it is now all that much easier to recharge in Aurora.
Nearly 20 new chargers have been installed at public facilities across town.
The 18 level two chargers Ivy Charging Park and Charge stations have been placed at Town Hall, the Aurora Family Leisure Complex, the Stronach Aurora Recreation Complex, Aurora Community Centre, Joint Operations Centre, and Aurora Armoury.
Four additional charging stations are also set to be installed at Town Square (formerly Library Square) when the downtown revitalization project is completed.
“Addressing climate change has been a top priority for our town and for this council,” said Mayor Tom Mrakas in a statement. “By increasing the number of charging stations in our community, and by providing faster charging options, we hope to see more people opting for greener vehicles in the future.”
This is also the vision of the Ivy Charging Network, which has partnered with the town on this expansion, along with Natural Resources Canada’s Zero Emission Vehicle Infrastructure Program.
A joint venture between Hydro One and Ontario Power Generation, Ivy is one of the province’s largest charging networks.
“We are excited to partner with the Town of Aurora to increase the accessibility of EV chargers in the community and further support their transition to a cleaner future,” said Ivy General Manager Jesika Briones. “Ivy’s reliable and wide-reaching network coverage will help EV drivers travel with confidence and ease to the places that matter most.”
The new chargers, says the town, will operate on a cost-recovery model “with a per hour charging rate competitive with the costs of other public charging stations in the GTA.”
“This user fee will help offset the costs of electricity and maintenance of the stations.”
Brock Weir is a federally funded Local Journalism Initiative reporter at The Auroran
This project, they add, is part of Aurora’s commitment to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 80 per cent by 2050.
