Each proposed project must include a minimum of two connectors per site.

Projects to install charging stations must meet one of the following charging needs: 
•    Overnight charging in neighbourhoods where electric vehicle owners do not have access to a private electrical outlet or a private charging station.
•    Daytime charging downtown or near businesses and shops, parks or tourist sites.

Charging station purchasing costs

Charging station suppliers will provide one or more detailed quotes to the municipality or Indigenous community in question. Then, will have to confirm its choice and issue a purchase order.

Charging station installation costs

Charging station installation costs vary based on several criteria. We recommend that you refer to the charging station installation guides to help you establish your installation budget.

Additional projected costs (excluded from the grant)

Charging station telecommunications costs and the extended warranty are the responsibility of the municipality or Indigenous community.

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

• Installation in a parking lot or at the curb

• Maximum power of 50 amps (6.2 kWh to 11.5 kWh);

• Pedestal or wall-mounted installation;

• Wall or pedestal structure 8ft (2,44m) high);

• Double charging station only: two (2) charging cables per station;

• Cables 23ft (7m) long each;

• Connector standard: J1772;

• Cables with anti-theft sheathing;

• Cable retraction systems;

• No power sharing between charging nozzles;

• Installation requires a circuit breaker for each connector;

• Station equipped with a screen and an RFID card reader;

• Payment for charging via the mobile app or with a membership card

• Installation in a parking lot or at the curb

• Maximum power of 48 amps (6.2 kWh to 9,6 kWh);

• Pedestal installation only;

• Pedestal structure 11,1ft (3,361m) high);

• Double charging station only: two (2) charging cables per station;

• Cables 18ft (5,44m) long each;

• Connector standard: J1772;

• Cable retraction systems are integrated into the structure;

• No power sharing between charging nozzles;

• Installation requires a circuit breaker for each connector;

• Activation and payment via the mobile app only;

• No screen nor RFID card reader;

• Payment for charging via the mobile app or with a membership card;

• Strong and consistent cellular network required to operate the charging stations

• Be located in Québec and be connected to Hydro-Québec’s power distribution system.

• Purchase a minimum of two single-connector charging stations or one double-connector charging station, with cable retraction systems, and install them curbside or in a parking lot belonging to the municipality or Indigenous community.

• Reserve one parking space for each connector.

• Provide uninterrupted access to the charging stations, all year round.

• Ensure that parking, whether metered or not, is free from 9 p.m. to 7 a.m.

• Ensure that an LTE cell phone signal (Bell, Telus, Rogers) of sufficient strength is available at the location where the charging stations will be installed; the Reference Signal Received Quality (RSRQ) and Reference Signal Received Power (RSRP) must be at least −15 dB and −90 dBm, respectively. If the cell phone signal is too weak or if no cellular network is available, the municipality or Indigenous community will be responsible for taking the necessary steps to obtain a strong cell phone signal or installing a cell phone tower near the charging point.

• Submit a map of the streets or parking lots, indicating the distance in centimetres between the projected charging station and itsparking space, as well as photos of the locations where the charging stations will be installed. The following locations are recommended:

  • Neighbourhoods where residents do not have access to a private electrical outlet or a private charging station.

  • Parking lots belonging to the municipality or Indigenous community that are downtown or within 1 km of businesses, shops, office towers, parks, tourist sites, etc.

• Conduct, at the expense of the municipality or the community, a feasibility study on the installation of charging stations prior to submitting the grant application (see the charging station installation guides section on the 4,500-Charging Station Grant Program web page).

• Submit an estimate of the charging station installation costs.

• Sign the partnership agreement with Hydro-Québec for the deployment of Circuit électrique charging stations, or its renewal.

• Sign the financial contribution agreement for the 4,500-Charging Station Grant Program.

• Purchase the charging stations from a Circuit électrique charging station supplier.

• Install, curbside or in a parking lot belonging to the municipality or Indigenous community, a minimum of two single-connector charging stations or one double-connector charging station, with cable retraction systems.

• Hire the necessary technical teams or subcontractors to carry out the project.

• Minimize costs by installing stations near handholes for connection to the underground system or near an existing distribution panel.

• Cover the charging station installation costs that exceed the Hydro-Québec grant amount.

• Commission the charging stations within 12 months of receiving the grant confirmation letter from Hydro-Québec and submit supporting documents.

• Comply with applicable environmental protection standards (e.g., excavation waste disposal).

• Maintain each charging station in proper working order for a minimum of five years after commissioning and thereafter throughout the duration of the partnership agreement, including its renewal.

• Do not build a median strip, sidewalk, or bike path between the charging stations and the parking spaces reserved for charging.

• Install adequate signage at the charging stations (Stationnement réservé pour véhicule électrique en recharge/Reserved parking for electric vehicles being charged).

• Maintain, at the expense of the municipality or the community, the area around the charging stations, including snow removal, for a minimum of five years after commissioning and thereafter throughout the duration of the partnership agreement, including its renewal.

• Pay the associated telecommunication fees for a minimum period of five years and thereafter throughout the duration of the partnership agreement, including its renewal.

• Pay maintenance and repair costs for the charging stations, as needed.

Important: 

Should the municipality or Indigenous community does not meet the criteria and commitments, if it removes a charging station or does not have them repaired in case of breakage before the end of its five-year commitment, it will have to reimburse the grant, prorated for the remainder of the period.

Please note that it will take a few weeks from the time you submit your grant application until you receive the charging stations. Here are the steps involved and the approximate deadlines:

• Application review and grant approval or rejection: Max. 4 weeks

• Agreement signing: 2 to 6 weeks

• Ordering of charging stations, including receipt of the quote: 2 to 4 weeks

• Delivery of charging stations: 6 to 12 weeks

• Installation of charging stations: From a few weeks to several months, depending on supplier availability and the season. Excavation and installation work can be difficult to perform in winter.

• Commissioning of charging stations: A few days

• Accounting: Once the charging stations are operational, you will have up to 2 months to send copies of your purchase and installation invoices to Hydro-Québec.

• Grant payment: 30 days following Hydro-Québec’s receipt of the final invoice.

Only municipalities and Indigenous communities whose projects have been approved will be eligible to receive the grant, provided they submit copies of their charging station purchase and installation invoices.

Once the work is completed and the charging stations are operational, the municipality or Indigenous community must send photos of the operational charging stations and copies of the purchase and installation invoices to programme4500bornes@hydroquebec.com.

After reviewing the documents, Hydro-Québec will inform the municipality or Indigenous community in writing of the grant amount to which it is entitled.

The municipality or Indigenous community must then send Hydro-Québec an invoice for the grant amount, plus any applicable taxes.

Only municipalities and Indigenous communities that have received a letter of acceptance for their project will be eligible for the grant.