Electric car charges coming

Charging stations have been installed in downtown Okotoks, but they are for a different type of mobile device – electric cars.

The Town of Okotoks has partnered with Sun Country Highway, a Canadian company developing a network of electric vehicle chargers across the country.

As part of the Sun Country Highway partnership, chargers were provided at no cost, and Okotoks paid the installation fees. The cost of installing two units outside of the municipal building was $3,000.

“We have been building the infrastructure and providing chargers to municipalities to encourage ecotourism, people travelling with zero tailpipe emissions,” said James Dennis, regional director of business development for Sun Country Highway.

Visitors will not be charged to plug their vehicles into the stations in town. Though Westmount School has had an electric car charger in its parking lot since it opened, Okotoks will now add several more charging stations to its inventory. Two charging stations will be located outside of the municipal building on Elizabeth St., one will be at the emergency services building on Woodhaven Dr., and the Best Western hotel will have a station in its lot on Southbank Rd. Several stations will also be installed at the new operations facility once construction is complete.

“The entire project demonstrates environmental leadership,” said Dawn Smith, sustainability coordinator for the Town of Okotoks.

With a significantly lower environmental footprint than a traditional vehicle, electrical cars are a growing trend in Canada, and Okotoks is prepared to welcome visitors who own electric vehicles.

Smith says that the charging stations located throughout town will be economic boosters.

“As their vehicles are charging for a few hours, owners will be in our downtown shopping district, which is also something we want to promote,” she said.

Dennis is confident that municipalities will reap the benefits of ecotourism.

“People are coming and spending at least two to four hours in a community, and while they’re waiting for their vehicle to charge they’re staying in a hotel, shopping, eating in local restaurants,” he said.

Dennis said the Town incurs little cost.

“Charging most cars costs anywhere from 30 cents to $6,” said Dennis. “And visitors are going to spend at least six times that in the community while they wait.”

Charging stations will appear on the Sun Country Highway online map and on the Alberta Motor Association’s charging station locator, which Smith hopes will help draw tourists to town.

“It’s a growing industry, and having our stations listed online should also bring more people to Okotoks,” said Smith.

In 2016 the town hopes become part of the annual Sun Country Highway “Emazing Race,” which is a contest that challenges electric vehicle drivers to visit as many charging stations across North America as possible and collect points along the way.

“It starts in New Brunswick and ends in Vancouver, so we have people driving and touring from coast to coast,” said Dennis. “They have one month to hit as many different Sun Country chargers as possible across the country.”

Though the timeframe for installing free chargers in municipalities is limited due to the cost absorbed by Sun Country, the program has helped communities install hundreds of charging stations across the country.

“This is a great opportunity for the economy in Okotoks and for the environment,” said Smith. “This is a growing industry and we are excited to be a part of it.”