Town of Waterloo looks to recharge
The Town of Waterloo is launching its new subsidy program to encourage the installation of residential charging stations, and will purchase an electric ice resurfacer for the Jacqueschagnon Arena, after elected officials voted in favour of the decision July 13.
According to the press release, the town is offering its citizens a $100 subsidy for the purchase and installation of a residential electric vehicle charging station upon presentation of an invoice, until the allocated budget is exhausted. An envelope of $2,000 has been allocated to this initiative.
To benefit from the subsidy, citizens must complete the form and provide proof of purchase, proof of residence, and a photo of the installed terminal. Everything must be returned to the planning department no later than Jan. 31 of the year following the purchase.
Regarding the purchase of an electric ice resurfacer for the Jacques-chagnon Arena, it replaces the propane gas ice resurfacer. This expands the electric vehicle fleet, as provided for in the town’s sustainable development plan. The resurfacer will be equipped with an integrated laser grader and will offer better ice while helping to reduce energy consumption.
The provincial government’s plan d’électrification et de changements climatiques (PECC), aimed at banning the sale of gasoline-powered vehicles by 2035, fits perfectly with our vision of working together to limit our ecological footprint,” said Jean-marie Lachapelle, mayor of Waterloo.
The town has been trying limit its environmental footprint through various actions since 2017, by integrating an environmental orientation into its sustainable development plan.
The municipality has since increased its fleet of municipal vehicles with electric cars, installed charging stations accessible to the public, modified its urban lighting to LED, established subsidy programs for water saving and for backflow prevention devices, promoted active transportation, in particular by expanding and improving the urban development of the pedocycling network.
More recently, it created a committee made up of elected officials, employees and citizens specially dedicated to environmental issues, investing more than $750,000 in the health of Lake Waterloo, in collaboration with the organization Action Lac Waterloo, and set up a subsidy program for the creation of smart gardens on its own land and infrastructure.