1. Where are the geographic…

1. Where are the geographic areas in Ontario where there are gaps in public EV charging infrastructure?

- We have taken a regional study approach to identify gaps in EV infrastructure within a defined geographic area that included the Counties of Bruce, Dufferin, Grey, Huron Perth and Wellington, as well as the Cities of Guelph, Stratford and the Town of St. Mary’s. The study highlighted gaps in EV charging infrastructure and also demonstrated the positive influence EV chargers can have on neighbouring municipalities by increasing the number of pathways between chargers. Providing multiple pathways means more opportunities for drivers to support local economies.
- Results of Nuclear Innovation Institute’s Plugging In Survey showed that visitors perceive rural areas (e.g. Grey, Huron and Bruce Counties) as having limited or unreliable charging services.
- Our surveys show that rural EV owners do not have chargers to charge at home, increasing demand for public chargers.
- Rural residents are familiar with travelling long distances to access amenities. Range anxiety continues to be a barrier to EV adoption in rural communities.

2. In what kinds of situations are public EV chargers most useful (e.g., type of trip, length of trip, type of charging location)?

- Our regional EV charging study considered locations for EV chargers that support local economies (i.e. tourist destinations, shopping, amenities, etc.). In the study, level 3 (DCFC) chargers are placed on major travel corridors to support long distance trips (i.e. similar to On Route stations). Level 2 chargers were placed where visitors naturally stay longer (e.g. community centres, parking lots close to shopping and restaurants, major attractions and venues, etc.).
- Located EVs at trailheads for hikers and recreation activities was outside the scope of the study, but is a natural alignment with the rural landscape and tourism attractions.

3. What are the challenges with increasing public EV charging in Ontario and how could the government help address those challenges?

- Rural municipalities recognize the need to provide EV chargers as a service to the community and for local residents.
- Costs for installing, owning, operating, and maintaining these assets are not affordable to small and rural municipalities.
-Small and rural municipalities welcome occupancy relationships with third party suppliers to install chargers on municipal lands with minimal cost to the municipality.
- Supportive funding should consider owner/operator/occupancy relationships that enable chargers to be installed on municipal lands without the capital and ongoing cost burden to small and rural municipalities.
- Supportive funding should consider the value of networking charger installations such that the revenues and losses are summed across a network rather than individual charging stations.
- The electricity grid must continue to be clean in order to align with municipalities’ objectives of reducing greenhouse gas emissions in the transportation sector.