Redwater installs electric vehicle charging stations 

By Falon Fayant 
 
On July 20 th , the Town of Redwater completed the installation of two level
two electric vehicle (EV) charging stations at Pembina Place. The project’s total
cost was $17,790, funded in part by grant dollars. The EV charging stations have a
pay-per-charge system, and the first charge took place during the Discovery Days
bench show by one of the entrants. The town received $8,183, or 46%, of grant
funding from the South Grow Regional Initiative within their Electric Vehicle
Charging Program. The town also applied for grant funding through the Municipal
Climate Change Action Centre program; however, because of the popularity of their
grant, the funds were unavailable.  
Level 2 EV chargers charge at a rate of 20-130 km per hour and take 6-14
hours to provide a full charge. This is compared to Level 1 charges, which charge at
a rate of 5-8km per hour and take between 40-60 hours to fully charge, and Level
3 chargers, which charge at a rate of 250-1500 km per hour and require only 15-60
minutes to provide a full charge. Level 3 chargers have high power requirements
and are typically not installed in homes.  
The town will be recording statistics now that the chargers are fully
operational. According to Garnet Davison, General Manager of Community and
Protective Services, “[The town is] looking forward to providing a new service to
the Town of Redwater and providing options for both residents and travellers
heading north to areas such as Bonnyville, Cold Lake and Fort McMurray or
travellers on their way south to Edmonton, etc.” 
Other green initiatives the town has completed in the past few years include
a lighting upgrade at the arena in 2021, moving from metal halide to LED lighting.
At the same time, they reduced cooling costs with a ceiling replacement. Town
staff are researching green fleet options and green options for the Zamboni.
Davison stated, “However, the town will not be jumping to replace equipment until it
is required or as set out in our 10-year capital plan.” Davison explained that several
green grant options are available for the fleet, and the town continues to explore
these. Davison added, “The Town of Redwater would like to express their
appreciation to both the MCCAC and South Grow Electric Vehicle Charging Program
for their ongoing support of green initiatives through generous funding, helpful
responses, advice, and their streamlined application process. Without their
programs and assistance, options would be limited for small rural municipalities and
communities.”