Council okays downtown EV charger project, with three nay votes
Town council has given the green light on plans to install an EV charger in downtown Sackville, in the parking lot between Goya’s Pizza and the Post Office. Three motions authorizing staff to seek funding, purchase a charger, and have electrical infrastructure installed passed on Tuesday night, with three councillors voting against all three motions.
The project involves hiring local company Tantramar Electric to install infrastructure downtown that can accommodate a number of chargers, and the purchase of a level 3 Flo Charger to operate as part of NP Power’s E-charge network. Unlike the free level 2 charger at the Sackville Visitor Information Centre, people using the new charger would pay for their electricity via a smartphone app or e-charge account.
Climate Change coordinator Kirsty Mrazek told council last week that advantages to the e-charge network includes access to advertising, customer service, and a payment management system. The Flo is a fast charger, which means people will be able to get a significant “fill up” in about 30 minutes.
Mrazek told council the project would encourage EV drivers to stop in Sackville while on longer drives, bringing them close to “downtown amenities such as restaurants, stores, parking lots, or public washrooms and parks.” A fast charger would also serve local EV drivers, said Mrazek, “especially those living in multi unit residential buildings who are looking to drive an EV but do not have access currently to overnight charging infrastructure.”… Continue
Sackville considers getting its first EV
The town of Sackville is getting in the electric vehicle game.
At its meeting on Monday April 11, Sackville town council will vote on a proposal to replace its bylaw enforcement vehicle, currently a 10-year-old Ford hybrid, with a fully electric car.
The move to go electric comes after a recommendation from the Mayor’s Roundtable on Climate Change in their review of Sackville’s 2022 capital budget.
Climate Change coordinator Kirsty Mrazek told council on Monday night that staff compared three different electric models in terms of price, and the Chevy Bolt EUV came in cheapest, at just under $39,000, including taxes and $10,000 in rebates from the provincial and federal governments.
The report did not include costs over the life of the vehicles, but according to CAA’s driving cost calculator, the fuel cost for the new EV will be considerably cheaper than its hybrid predecessor. For a generous 30,000 kms per year, the Chevy Bolt EUV costs about $660 in electricity, at current rates. A Ford Escape Hybrid going the same distance would rack up about $3000 in gas charges at today’s prices, according to the CAA online tool.
While staff are recommending an EV to replace the bylaw enforcement vehicle, they are not doing so for another vehicle replacement.
A twelve-year-old Ford 150 truck from the Parks and Facilities department is due for replacement, and staff are recommending a hybrid to replace it, instead of a fully electric truck.… Continue
Amherst beats Sackville to the punch with new electric Zamboni
As cross border neighbours, the towns of Amherst and Sackville like to indulge in some friendly competition, with respective mayors occasionally throwing down the gauntlet to see which community can outperform the other.
Last year Sackville scored a win in the active community department by outperforming our Nova Scotia neighbours in ParticipACTION’s Community Better challenge. But this week Amherst beat Sackville to the punch on another initiative that both towns have declared a priority: the move away from using fossil fuels.
On Tuesday, staff at the Amherst stadium got trained on a new piece of equipment: a battery-powered Zamboni to replace their former natural-gas-powered ice cleaning machine.
According to a news release from the town, the new Zamboni cost $200,000, and is powered by sealed lithium batteries that do not require maintenance, have the same life expectancy as a gas-powered engine, and are emissions-free.
Amherst mayor David Kogon says in the release, “the elimination of emissions will make the Amherst Stadium a much healthier, safer and enjoyable experience for the fans and the athletes.” It also “creates a cleaner space,” for arena employees to work in, says Kogon.
Sackville staff at the Tantramar Civic Centre will need to wait just a little longer for that cleaner air space. Sackville’s Zamboni is due to for replacement next year, and town engineer Dwayne Acton says plans are afoot to make the replacement an electric one.… Continue
Tantramar Report: EV rebate’s impact on local dealers, CUPE march for frontline workers, and AWI nature school registration open
On Thursday’s Tantramar Report:
Erica Butler called up Tina Amador, the general manager of Atlantic KIA in Amherst, to see how the new EV rebate program might affect local car dealers. Amador says that while EVs are not yet available in Sackville or Amherst, they are in Moncton, and some of her staff have started the process of getting trained to sell and service electric vehicles.
There is a Pfizer clinic at the Tantramar Civic Centre today between 9 and 5 today, but Charles Beaver says those slots are all booked up. If you register with the Corner Drug Store online, you might be able to get in as soon as September 2nd.
CUPE is organizing a march in solidarity with frontline workers in Sackville, after local advocates insisted Sackville be included. Sackville was originally excluded from the marching plans, according to local volunteer Judith Weiss, because of its low population. The march begins at 10 AM at the local hospital, and ends at the bandstand in the Bill Johnstone Memorial Park. Anyone interested in participating in a Sackville walk with CUPE on behalf of frontline workers can show up on Saturday. Look out for a Facebook event published by Alana Best, of CUPE local 720-1, for more details.
And registration is open for the Atlantic Wildlife Institute’s forest school program. The year-round part-time enrichment program will continue to offer outdoors-based learning, and this year they are offering a Wilderness Skills program, and Creative Arts and Music program. … Continue