Charging stations at Prince Albert National Park. (Estelle Hjertaas/Facebook)

By Ian Gustafson

plug it in

Prince Albert National Park receives four vehicle charging stations

Aug 20, 2020 | 3:03 PM

Parks Canada now has electric vehicle charging stations in 30 parks across the country for visitors to use as part of a plan to make parks more green.

According to a media release, in May 2019 Parks Canada hoped to have charging stations at 25 most popular parks in Canada by 2021. Now that goal is met, they plan to have them in 50 of the most popular parks by 2025.

Communications officer with Parks Canada Robyn Hufnagel told paNOW Prince Albert National Park (PANP) has four charging stations. Two are J-1772 stations and the other two are the Tesla charge stations. They are located at the main beach parking lot in the Waskesiu townsite.

“The charge stations were installed in June in PANP and they’ve been functional since the beginning of summer,” Hufnagel said. “It’s a really great way for visitors who have electric vehicles for them to access the park use as many activities and services the park offers while being able to charge their car while they’re here.”

She explained Parks Canada across Canada received demand from visitors for these charge stations.

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“In conjunction with long term plans for greening Parks Canada operations, Parks Canada was donated 350 electric charge stations from Tesla,” she said. “We know that electric vehicles are a practical and effective way for Canadians to reduce pollution and fight climate change when they drive where they need to go.”

Four locations in Saskatchewan have or are going to receive charge stations including Batoche National Historic Site, Motherwell Homestead National Historic Site, PANP and by the end of summer Grasslands National Park will receive theirs.

She explained they don’t track to see if the stations are being used but anecdotally park staff have seen them occupied this summer.

The fee to use the charging stations are included in the entry fee to PANP, as well as any other parks who have them.

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ian.gustafson@jpbg.ca

On Twitter: @iangustafson12