More public electric vehicle charging stations now available at City of Calgary sites

CALGARY - The City of Calgary is pleased to announce the addition of 20 Level 2 Electric Vehicle (EV) charging stations now available for public use at various recreation facilities and CTrain Station Park and Ride sites. 

This project responds to the growing demand for electric vehicle infrastructure, supports faster adoption of electric vehicles, and aligns with The City’s Electric Vehicle Strategy and Climate Resilience Strategy and Action Plans. Electric vehicles play an important role in reducing greenhouse gas emissions and air pollution, while also fostering growth of the low-carbon economy.

“I’m excited to see the result of our federal government once again supporting The City of Calgary’s work towards becoming a more climate resilient city,” said George Chahal, Member of Parliament for Calgary Skyview. “Increasing EV affordability is a shared goal, and this is an important milestone in sustainable local infrastructure.”

The project is a collaboration between various City business units and was made possible by contributions from Natural Resources Canada’s  Zero-Emission Vehicle Infrastructure Program and the ENMAX Power’s Charge Up EV Smart Charging Pilot supporting the federal government’s green infrastructure projects to reach net-zero emissions by 2050. The project cost totaled $264,000, which included design, installation, electrical upgrades, and operation and maintenance of the charging stations for five years, with contributions from Natural Resources Canada ($100,000), ENMAX Power ($120,000) and The City of Calgary ($44,000).

“ENMAX Power is preparing for steady growth in electric vehicle adoption and ensuring Calgarians have access to chargers throughout the City is an important part of meeting customer demand in the years ahead,” said Jana Mosley, President, ENMAX Power. “We’re proud to support the work The City is doing in building this infrastructure and further contributing to sustainable and future-focused energy solutions.”

The charging stations are located in Park and Ride lots at Chinook (2), Brentwood (2), Sirocco (4) and McKnight-Westwinds (2); and recreation facilities at Southland Leisure Centre (2), Village Square Leisure Centre (2), Thornhill Aquatic & Recreation Centre (2) and Vivo for Healthier Generations (4). The charging stations can track charging and energy usage, control access remotely and ensure a safe pay-per-use function.

“Calgary Recreation is pleased to have some of The City’s first electric vehicle charging infrastructure at our facilities, alongside Calgary Transit and Vivo for Healthier Generations," said Michelle Tait, Superintendent of Operations with Calgary Recreation. "Providing parking spots to charge electric vehicles supports Calgary becoming a climate-resilient city and further provides our customers with opportunities to use low-emission modes of transportation while accessing our amenities."

The total greenhouse gas emissions of electric vehicles, including manufacturing, usage and disposal are much less than that of internal combustion engine vehicles. A study conducted by Simon Fraser University found that charging an electric vehicle on Alberta’s electricity grid can reduce vehicle average GHG emissions by 44 per cent, relative to conventional gasoline vehicles. This project is designed to pilot EV charging infrastructure at public-facing locations and gather feedback to help guide future green infrastructure initiatives that reduce air pollution and greenhouse gas emissions while supporting the low carbon economy.

The EV charging stalls are for actively-charging electric vehicles only.  Users are to follow the parking hours and rates posted on the charging station screen. There may be a cost to charge and parking fees will vary per lot. Calgarians can find these new charging stations on the City of Calgary’s EV Charging Map or most publicly available EV charging maps including ChargeHub and PlugShare.

For any issues related to using the charging stations, please contact FLO directly at 1-855-543-8356 as shown on the charging stations.