Program helps Indigenous businesses install EV chargers to accelerate climate and business goals

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Electric vehicle chargers considered an investment that aligns with cultural values while boosting tourism

Michelle Bellegarde at Saskatchewan’s Little Black Bear First Nation, which will be home to the first Level 3 electric vehicle charger on reserve land owned by a First Nation in Canada.When electric vehicle chargers open on Saskatchewan’s Little Black Bear First Nation in June, the Level 3 chargers will be the first owned by a First Nation in Canada. While there are EV charging stations on First Nation lands in British Columbia and Alberta, they’re owned and run by power companies.

Beyond tourism, the chargers will also inspire Indigenous youth to learn about new technology as the country transitions to cleaner forms of energy. The total project cost is about $360,000. Bellegarde secured $200,000 from SaskPower and another $160,000 from a business venture grant through Indigenous Services Canada. But there are still other unknown costs for the maintenance and operation of the chargers when they are up and running.

While Bellegarde received $200,000 from SaskPower, some of that money came from the same pot as Natural Resource Canada’s ZEVIP, which also funds ICE’s Charge Up Program. They started the EV project a year ago, by applying for funding through ICE’s Charge Up Program. Within 45 days, their application was approved for $30,000 to install four Level 2 EV chargers. A few months later, the chargers were up and running at a total cost of nearly $100,000, after upgrading their hydro, getting a new primary line, transformer and land cable. The remaining $70,000 was paid out of pocket.

 

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