Grant program

• 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 two(2) single charging stations (SmartTwo) with cable retraction system or one (1) double curbside charging station per municipal or community parking lotparking 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.}

• 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 two (2) SmartTwo charging stations with cable retraction system or a minimum of one (1) double 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. 

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.

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 charging site. If a charging site has more that one curbside charging station, all additional stations will be secondary curbside stations.

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

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.

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

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

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

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.

The program is exclusively for Québec municipalities and Indigenous communities connected to Hydro-Québec's main power distribution system.

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

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

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.

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 the municipality or community existing Internet service and connected via an Ethernet cable.

• 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. If a charging site has more that one curbside charging station, all additional stations will be secondary curbside stations.

• The secondary curbside station consists of two 240-V chargers mounted on a central mast with a cable retraction system. Only one secondary curbside station can be connected to the primary curbside station. If a site has a primary curbside station and two secondary curbside stations or more, then all charging stations must be connected to an external distribution panel. If a charging site has only one curbside station, there is no need to install any secondary stations.

• 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.

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.

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

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.

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 guides.

In 2025, each SmartTwo charging station may receive a grant of up to $12,735 in eligible costs before taxes, upon presentation of applicable invoices. Each double curbside station may receive a grant of up to $25,470 in eligible costs before taxes, upon presentation of applicable invoices.

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@domain.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.