New Electric Vehicle Chargers Now Available in Bloomfield, Picton and Wellington

Drivers of electric vehicles now have three new municipal charging locations available across Prince Edward County, with chargers officially in service in Bloomfield, Picton, and Wellington.

The County was among seven municipalities selected to receive funding through the Charged for Change program, delivered by Earth Day Canada and supported by Aviva Insurance. Through the grant, the municipality received $99,675 to install Level 2 EV chargers.

The new chargers are located at:

Bloomfield Main Street parking lot (one charging head, located behind the bus shelter)

Crystal Palace parking area inside the Picton Fairgrounds (two charging heads)

Wellington and District Community Centre parking lot (two charging heads)

Additional improvements, including wayfinding signage and seating areas, will be completed at the sites over the coming months.

All three locations feature Level 2 chargers operating on the FLO network. Charging costs $2.25 per hour, payable via the FLO mobile app or credit card. Vehicles that remain parked beyond four hours or are not actively charging may be subject to a $125 fine.

With federal regulations requiring that all new light-duty vehicles sold in Canada be zero-emission by 2035, the County is in the early planning stages of a broader EV charging infrastructure strategy. Officials are also evaluating opportunities to introduce publicly accessible DC Fast (Level 3) chargers in multiple locations.

County staff previously recommended issuing a request for proposals for Level 3 chargers through a no-capital-cost partnership model, where suppliers would cover installation and operational costs estimated at $500,000 or more per site in exchange for a share of charging revenue.

A Level 3 charger installed in 2017 at the King Street parking lot in Picton was removed late last year after it became inoperable and unsupported by the manufacturer. That charger was originally installed through Ontario’s $20-million Green Investment Fund.

While some local businesses, including accommodations and wineries, offer EV charging, access is generally limited to paying customers.