EV charging stations coming to Windsor riverfront as city seeks ways to charge for charging

The city of Windsor is partnering with a third party to install new electric vehicle charging stations along Windsor's riverfront. 

It is a one-year pilot program with Telus and FLO, a Quebec-based charging station manufacturer, to install three new level-two dual-port charging stations.

They'll be located at three parking lots: the future Legacy Beacon site, Dieppe Gardens and the casino riverfront.

"It will be one, I think, among many different initiatives we will see," Coun. Kieran McKenzie said.

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Council gave the project the green light at a meeting on Monday. The chargers are expected to be installed before the end of the year.

After a year, the city will evaluate the program with a 10-year agreement in mind, which is also reflects the life of the equipment, according to Cole Nadalin, the city's supervisor of energy projects and asset planning.

"This allows a third-party to evaluate that and for us to collect the information," Nadalin said at the council meeting. "At the same time looking at how a relationship would work between us and a third party and learning any unknown legal requirements [and] financial requirements." 

The three stations would would create six parking spots able to accommodate electric vehicle parking.  

FLO-TELUS would lease the spots from the city for $1 and pay for the installation, equipment and operating costs.

There would be a cost to use the new charging stations that would be determined by the company, which would also collect the revenue.

"The municipality will still be charging for those parking spaces, so... they won't be free to use but they'll be in places where we think people will find them very handy to use them," McKenzie said. 

Pay to charge

The 11 charging stations in city lots are currently free to use at but require payment to park in the lot they are in.

However, according to Nadalin, the city is currently examining a fee model for the city charging stations as well.

"There's no decision that's been made at this point, but I think at some point there's going to be some thought given to whether or not we can continue to sustain giving free charging capacity to the community," McKenzie said.

"I don't think people in the community have the expectation that in perpetuity would be a service offered free of charge."