July 3, 2024 – Ontario’s Ministry of Transportation has issued a Request for Bids to build and operate electric vehicle charging stations in 15 underserved and remote areas across the province.

“We’re increasing access to electric vehicle charging stations—particularly in rural and northern communities—so we can help more drivers go electric with confidence,” said Prabmeet Sarkaria, Minister of Transportation.

The province is accepting applications to build and operate publicly accessible charging stations on government-owned property, including highway rest areas, carpool parking lots, and tourist destinations.

The majority of the locations identified for the initial procurement are located in northern Ontario, “where gaps in public charging infrastructure are most prevalent”:

• Northern rest areas: Argon Park, Batchawana Tourist Information Centre, Marten River, Ontario/Manitoba Border, Ryland, Klotz Lake, Terrace Bay and Watershed Truck.
• Carpool lots: Dwyer Hill, Orangeville, Port Union.
• Provincial parks: Algonquin (2 locations), Pinery, Sibbald Point.

Province seeks single contractor

The province is seeking a single contractor to act as a charge-point operator to design, build, supply, install, operate, and maintain a network of public EV charging stations consisting of:

• Level 2 AC charging stations
• Direct current fast-charge (DCFC) stations
• Backend and frontend software and system components
• Network operations and maintenance

The successful contractor will be responsible for supplying and installing the EV chargers and supporting equipment, including battery-integrated DCFC stations or a battery energy storage system (BESS) at specified locations.

The contractor will also be responsible for civil works that form part of the design and construction deliverables, and will be required to coordinate service connections with local distribution companies.

The successful contractor will be responsible for operating and maintaining the network of charging stations for the duration of the contract, including any extensions that may be exercised by the province.

The Request for Bids is available through the Ontario Tenders Portal. Interested bidders have until August 13, 2024, to submit applications.