Grant program – Charging stations | Electric Circuit

Grant program for the installation of charging stations

Are you a Québec municipality or an Indigenous community looking to provide more electric charging stations in your downtown core, in densely populated neighborhoods or near a park or a tourist site? Hydro-Québec offers a grant program for the purchase and installation of charging stations in municipal and Indigenous community parking lots and curbside.

This grand program covers admissible expenses, before taxes, up to $12,000 for each single charging station and up to $24,000 for each double charging station for accepted projects.

New grant application periods:

In 2024: from August 12 to November 8.

In 2025: from January 2 to March 28 and from August 11 to November 7.

Program information

Projects to install charging stations in municipal and Indigenous community parking lots are eligible for the grant program.

Each installation project will need to be for a minimum of four (4) single charging stations or two (2) double curbside charging stations per parking lot. Charging stations installed in a parking lot will have to be visible from the street.

The eligible charging stations are the SmartTwo station with a cable retraction system and the double curbside charging station.

The grant program is also available for installation of curbside charging stations on the sidewalk to allow the charging of electric vehicles parked on the street. Such projects must contain at least one (1) double curbside charging station.

The grant program started on May 25, 2021 and will run until 2029.

Charging stations must meet one of the following charging needs:
• overnight charging in neighborhoods where electric vehicle owners do not have access to private outlets;
• daytime charging downtown and near shops, parks or tourist sites

Who is this grant program for?

This grant program is for Québec municipalities and for Indigenous communities, to help them provide more charging stations in the downtown core, in densely populated neighborhoods and near parks or tourist sites.

Criteria and commitments to be met

Eligibility criteria for the 4,500-Charging Station Grant Program¹

Be a municipality or an Indigenous community located in Québec and connected to Hydro-Québec's main power distribution system.
Purchase and install a minimum of four (4) single charging stations (SmartTwo) with cable retraction system or two (2) double curbside charging stations per municipal or community parking lot, or buy and install on the curb one (1) or more double curbside charging station(s).
Reserve one parking space for each single parking lot charging station and reserve two parking spaces—angled, parallel or perpendicular to the curb—for each double curbside charging station.
Provide year-round 24/7 access to the charging station.
If the charging stations are installed in a parking lot, the stations must be visible from the street.
Offer free access to the parking lot for all electric vehicle charging.
Allow metered parking free from 9 p.m. to 7 a.m.
Have at least a third generation (3G) cellular signal with a minimum power of –100 dBm at the location where the curbside stations will be installed. If a cellular signal is not available, the charging station’s communication gateway can be configured to work with an existing Internet connection via an Ethernet cable.
Submit a map of the streets where the charging stations will be installed and give preference to those installed:
- in neighborhoods where residents do not have access to private outlets;
- in parking lots downtown areas or in the heart of the community or within one kilometre of businesses, shops, office towers, parks and tourist sites, etc.
Prior to submitting the grant application, conduct a feasibility study on the project, the cost of which must be covered by the municipality or the community (see the Charging Station Installation Guide).
Submit an estimate of the installation costs.
¹ Program terms and conditions are subject to change without notice.

Once approval is received, the municipality or the Indigenous community commits to:

Sign the partnership agreement or renewed partnership agreement with Hydro-Québec for the deployment of Electric Circuit charging stations.
Sign the financial contribution agreement for the 4,500-Charging Station Grant Program.
Purchase the charging station(s) from the Electric Circuit charging station supplier.
Install, in a municipal or in a community parking lot, a minimum of four (4) SmartTwo charging stations with cable retraction system or a minimum of two (2) curbside charging stations. Install on the curb one (1) or more double curbside charging stations.
Supply the necessary technical teams or subcontractors to carry out the project.
Minimize costs by preferably installing stations near handholes for connection to the underground system or near an existing distribution panel.
Cover charging station installation costs exceeding the grant amount.
Commission the charging stations and submit supporting receipts within 12 months of receiving the grant confirmation letter from Hydro-Québec.
Comply with applicable environmental protection standards (including protected areas and disposal of excavation waste).
Maintain each charging station in good working order for a minimum of five years after commissioning.
Do not build a bike path between the curbside station and the parking spaces reserved for charging.
Install adequate signage at the charging station (Stationnement réservé pour véhicule électrique en recharge).
Maintain and remove snow from surfaces around the charging stations for a minimum of five years after commissioning.
Pay the annual equipment management fees.
Cover maintenance and repair costs for the stations, as needed.
Important:
Should the municipality or the community withdraw a charging station before the end of its five-year commitment, it will have to repay the grant, prorated for the remainder of the period.

How to complete an application

Important note:
Before you submit your grant application, it is recommended that you submit the project to your decision-making comity for an approval letter. You may attach the letter to your grant application.

Hydro-Québec strongly recommends that you review the Applicant’s Guide before completing the application.

Just because you submit a grant application to Hydro-Québec for a charging station project does not automatically mean it will be approved or that the program grant will be awarded.

Only one grant application can be accepted per year, per municipality or per community. A municipality or a community whose initial application is rejected can submit a second grant application that same year provided the new application meets the eligibility criteria. An application may include one or more sites.

It is imperative that applicants provide all required information and include the following documents with their application for review:

completed application form
projected budget
preliminary site plan for the station(s)
signed approval letter from the decision-making comity regarding the installation of charging stations (optional, but highly recommended)

Incomplete grant applications will not be processed.

Application deadlines

The completed grant application form and all required documents must be submitted by 11:59 p.m. Eastern Time on November 8, 2024, or March 28 and November 7, 2025. A copy of the application will also be emailed to you; please keep this copy as proof of your submission.

Applications submitted after these dates will be rejected.

Review of applications

Application files will be reviewed during the month following the end of the submission dates. The week after the review has been completed, the municipalities and communities whose projects are selected will receive a conditional approval letter. Only those municipalities and communities will be eligible to receive the grant, upon submission of charging station purchase and installation invoices.

Municipalities and communities whose project applications are not selected will be notified by letter.

Project applications for which a conditional funding recommendation is made will be subject to due diligence. This verification will examine the municipality or the community's ability to carry out the project. Hydro-Québec may require the municipality or the community to provide confirmation or clarification in support of its project application. The findings of the due diligence process will allow Hydro-Québec to determine whether it can enter into a final agreement with the municipality or the community for the proposed project.

Projected costs and grant amount

Charging station purchasing costs

A detailed quote will be sent by the charging station supplier to the municipalities or to the communities.

Additional projected costs (excluded from the grant)

The municipalities and the communities are responsible to pay the equipment management fees for each charging station.

Charging station installation costs

The costs of installing charging stations vary according to several criteria. Please refer to the Charging Station Installation Guide to help you establish the installation budget.

Grant amount

If the project is accepted, the charging stations may receive a grant, upon presentation of applicable invoices, of up to:
• $12,000 for eligible costs, before taxes, for each single SmartTwo charging station
• $24,000 for eligible costs, before taxes, for each curbside charging station

The municipality or the community must purchase and install charging stations from the Electric Circuit supplier.

Once the work is complete and the stations are in service, the municipality or the community can send photos of the installed stations, as well as copies of purchase and installation invoices to programme4500bornes@hydroquebec.com.

Hydro-Québec will inform the municipality or the community in writing of the amount of the grant for which it is eligible based on the documents received.

The municipality or the community must then send Hydro-Québec an invoice for the grant, plus any applicable taxes, using its accounting system.

Only those municipalities and communities that have received an approval letter for their project will be eligible for the grant.

Important documents :
For more information, please refer to the Applicant’s Guide and the Charging Station Installation Guide.

Definitions

SmartTwo charging station

Charging point consisting of a single 240-V station, pedestal or wall mounting, with a cable retraction system. This type of charging station must be installed in parking lots and be connected to an existing distribution panel.

Primary curbside station

Charging point consisting of two 240-V stations mounted on a central mast with a charging cable retraction system. If the curbside charging station is to be connected directly to the Hydro-Québec distribution network, then the primary curbside station will be equipped with an electrical cabinet named Tuxedo containing the electrical meter and distribution panel. If the primary curbside station is connected to an existing electrical distribution panel, then it will not need the Tuxedo. The first station on a curbside charging site is the primary station. This type of station must be installed at every curbside charging site.

Secondary curbside station

Charging point consisting of two 240-V stations mounted on a central mast with a charging cable retraction system. Each secondary curbside station must be directly connected to the primary curbside station or to the external distribution panel. If a curbside charging site has only one station, there is no need to install any secondary stations.

240-V station

Charging station consisting of a single cable and connector that can charge one electric vehicle at a time. Every curbside charging point has two 240-V stations.

Charging station site or hub

A set of stations installed within 48 metres of each other and connected to the same communication gateway.

Types of charging stations

Additional information

Please consult our FAQ or contact us by email at programme4500bornes@hydroquebec.com.

Frequently asked questions

How long will the 4,500-Charging Station Grant Program run?

The program started on May 25, 2021, and will run until the end of 2029.

How do I apply for a grant?

Simply complete the application form during the program application periods and attach the required supporting documentation.

How many grant applications can I submit?

Who is the 4,500-Charging Station Grant Program for?

The program is exclusively for Québec municipalities and Indigenous communities.

Can I apply for a grant on behalf of my company or institution?

Unfortunately, no. The program is only for municipalities and Indigenous communities.

Will I be informed if my application is not selected?

All municipalities and communities will be notified following the review of the applications, whether or not their project has been selected.

What are the goals of the 4,500-Charging Station Grant Program?

The program is designed to provide funding to municipalities and indigenous communities to improve charging infrastructure in densely populated neighborhoods where electric vehicle owners do not have access to private outlets. In other words, the addition of charging stations will allow residents of a municipality or a community who live in a multi-unit building or condominium to charge their electric vehicles. The program also aims to improve the availability of charging infrastructure in the downtown core of municipalities or communities and near parks and tourist sites by installing charging stations.

Are all types of stations eligible for the program?

No. Only SmartTwo charging stations by AddEnergie with a cable retraction system and curbside stations are eligible for the grant program. The SmartTwo charging station offers one connector and is suitable for a parking lot. The curbside charging station consists of two 240-V chargers mounted on a central mast. Both types of charging station will be equipped with a cable retraction system to prevent cables and connectors from dragging on the ground. The charging stations must also be connected to a third generation (3G) or higher cellular network to be integrated into the Electric Circuit charging network. If a cellular signal is not available, the charging station’s communication gateway can be configured to work with an existing Internet connection via an Ethernet cable.

What is a charging station?

•   The SmartTwo charging station consisting of a single 240-V station, pedestal or wall mounting, with a cable retraction system. This type of charging station must be installed in parking lots and be connected to an existing distribution panel.
•   The primary curbside station consists of two 240-V chargers mounted on a central mast with a cable retraction system and an electrical cabinet containing a meter. If the curbside charging station is to be connected directly to the Hydro-Québec distribution network, then the primary curbside station will be equipped with an electrical cabinet named Tuxedo containing the electrical meter and distribution panel. If the primary curbside station is connected to an existing electrical distribution panel, then it will not need the Tuxedo.
•   The secondary curbside station consists of two 240-V chargers mounted on a central mast with a cable retraction system. Each secondary curbside station must be directly connected to the primary curbside station or to an external distribution panel.
•   The 240-V charger consists of a single cable and connector that can charge one electric vehicle at a time. Every curbside charging station has two 240-V chargers.

How much does a charging station cost?

If your project is selected, a quote with detailed prices will be sent by the charging station supplier to the municipality or to the community.

Are there any additional projected costs (excluded from the grant)?

Yes. There is a management fee for each charging station, which will have to be paid yearly to keep the charging station running.

How much does it cost to install a charging station?

The costs of installing a charging station vary according to several criteria. Please refer to the Charging Station Installation Guide to help you establish your installation budget. A master electrician will be able to assess the costs.

How is a curbside station installed?

Since the curbside station is installed on the sidewalk, excavation work is required and sidewalk repairs must be carried out once the station is installed. It is mandatory to call upon a master electrician to carry out electrical work and to submit a request for connection to the power grid. For comprehensive information on installing curbside stations, please refer to the Charging Station Installation Guide.

How much is the grant?

Each SmartTwo charging station may receive a grant of up to $12,000 in eligible costs before taxes, upon presentation of applicable invoices. Each curbside station may receive a grant of up to $24,000 in eligible costs before taxes, upon presentation of applicable invoices.

What is the procedure for obtaining a grant?

Once the project has been selected and the acceptance letter has been received, the municipality or the community must purchase the stations from the official Electric Circuit supplier, install them and then send copies of the invoices to programme4500bornes@hydroquebec.com.
Hydro-Québec will inform the municipality or the community in writing of the amount of the grant for which it is eligible on the basis of the documents received.
The municipality or the community must issue Hydro-Québec an invoice for the amount of the grant, plus any applicable taxes, through its accounting system.
Ensemble de bornes installées à moins de 30 mètres les unes des autres et raccordées à la même passerelle de communication.