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Electric vehicle drivers’ duty to ensure they get a charge: Mono councillor

March 13, 2025   ·   0 Comments

By JAMES MATTHEWS

Mono was denied provincial money to install higher-level electric vehicle chargers.

Mono resident Anthony Hosein asked council during its Feb. 25 meeting if there are plans to support superchargers to encourage electric vehicle use in the town.

Michael Dunmore, the town’s CAO, said the town applied for a pair of Level 2 EV chargers, one to be installed at Monora and another at the Mono Community Centre.

That application was made under the ChargeON Program administered by the provincial Ministry of Transportation to encourage the installation of public EV charging stations outside major cities in Ontario.

But the grant applications failed and the town was unsuccessful.

“We looked into Level 3, which is what I believe is a super charger,” Dunmore said. “And the (power) grid at Mono Centre would not sustain it at the current time.”

Town officials haven’t looked into the possibility of such a charger at Monora Park. But, he said, there could be the potential for a Level 3 unit there.

“The cost to install a Level 3 charger was excessive,” Dunmore said.

In 2021, the cost to install a Level 3 charger was in the range of $50,000 to $60,000.

That’s right: A single charger.

“As with any grant opportunity, the town will as best we can stay apprised and inform council when we would apply for such,” Dunmore said.

“We do have them at the town hall,” Councillor Elaine Capes said. “They are there. Mono is not that big.”

The EV chargers at town hall are Level 2 units.

She said that putting a charging station at Mono Community Centre wouldn’t be necessary when the charger-equipped town hall is just down the road.

“Whether there’s a bigger demand inside of Mono for a charging station, I’m not sure,” Capes said. “People having electric vehicles, leaving their own homes, would leave with their vehicles charged.”

Coun. Ralph Manktelow said the hurdle to installing Level 3 chargers is a power source issue. As much as 400 to 800 volts is required.

Manktelow said he would be interested to know how often the chargers at the town hall have been used since their installation.

Dunmore pledged to reach out to his counterparts at Dufferin County to get updated usage numbers for 2024.

He said the ChargeOn Program provided wayfinding grant money for the installation. That is, the ministry sought locations along travelled routes that would close a charging gap for any tourists motoring along in electric vehicles.

Mono Cliffs would have been a tourist area in need of a station. And Highway 10 is the area’s main commuting route, he said.

“When you think about it, community centres would be the more logical location in as much as people are going to a wedding and they’re having some appreciable time there as opposed to coming to town hall,” Mayor John Creelman said. “There’s not a lot to do around here other than wait for the car to be charged.”

Coun. Melinda Davie said residents who switch to electric vehicles have to modify how they drive given limited charging opportunities.

“It really should be the individual’s responsibility to make sure that they can charge their car as opposed to the town providing it,” she said. “We don’t provide gas or diesel stations. Those are commercial operations.”

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