On Tuesday, September 28th, seven of 16 Co-Op Connect DC EV charging stations were officially opened across Saskatchewan and Alberta, following the initial news of the 16-site pilot project back in 2019.
For those unfamiliar, the Federated Co-operatives Ltd. is a wholesaling, manufacturing, marketing and administrative co-operativein Western Canada involved in the agriculture, energy, food, and home and building industries. Now, they can add an expansive EV charging network to their already impressive portfolio.
The Co-op Connect project, which received $1.4 million in funding upon it’s initial reveal, promises to serve the needs of Co-op members and customers with a fleet of fast-charging stations aimed at further streamlining the transition from gas-powered vehicles to EV’s. Speaking to the project, Cam Zimmer, Co-op’s communications director, explains “[The idea] formed out of a combination of inquiries and interest from members and customers at the local [Co-op] clubs, as well as our commitment, overall, to a low-carbon economy and making that transition. I think Co-ops and EVs go well together…[and] Co-ops are known for being sustainable and really investing in their communities and so we think there’s going to be a lot of interest going forward on this.”
Although the launch was originally slated for 2020, COVID-19 temporarily delayed the project. The rest of the stations are set to open this fall and next spring, which will be welcome news for Canadian EV drivers.
