Saint-Laurent becomes the first municipal administration to join The Electric Circuit

MONTREAL, Aug. 2, 2012 /CNW Telbec/ - The founding partners of The Electric Circuit—Les Rôtisseries St-Hubert, RONA, METRO, the Agence métropolitaine de transport (AMT) and Hydro-Québec—are pleased to announce the signing of a partnership agreement with the borough of Saint-Laurent for the installation of about ten public charging stations in its municipal and commercial parking lots by fall 2013.

"The rollout of The Electric Circuit in Saint-Laurent will spur the improvement of transportation and sustainable development. Saint-Laurent is proud to be actively involved in this initiative and encourages local businesses, other Montréal boroughs and neighboring cities to help increase this network's reach," said Alan DeSousa, mayor of the Saint-Laurent borough and Vice President of Montréal's Executive Committee.

"We are delighted to welcome a new member to The Electric Circuit," said Pierre-Luc Desgagné, Hydro-Québec's Senior Director - Strategic Planning, on behalf of The Electric Circuit's founding partners. "The borough of Saint-Laurent brings diversity to our group of partners and allows us to increase our service offering in Montréal's West Island."

The Electric Circuit

The Electric Circuit is a major milestone in the rollout of the charging infrastructure needed to support the arrival of plug-in electric vehicles in Québec and is in line with the Québec government's 2011-2020 Action Plan for Electric Vehicles.

Nearly 70 240-volt Electric Circuit stations are already available in parking lots of the AMT, and at many RONA hardware stores, Metro grocery stores and Rôtisseries St-Hubert locations in the greater Montréal and Québec areas. There will be more than 120 charging stations in Québec by fall 2012. After that, the roll-out of 240-volt and even faster (400-volt) charging stations will expand as more electric vehicles hit Québec roads.

Electric vehicle owners do most of their charging at home and at work, but The Electric Circuit allows drivers to travel worry free, knowing they can top up their batteries on the road. Users of the public charging network also have access to a 24/7 telephone help line run by CAA-Québec as well as a charging station locator service. The Electric Circuit Web site, www.theelectriccircuit.com, is updated as new stations are deployed.

About the borough of Saint-Laurent

The borough of Saint-Laurent (www.ville.montreal.qc.ca/saint-Laurent) is one of 19 boroughs that make up the city of Montréal. It is home to around 95,000 people and some 5,000 companies. A major economic hub, Saint-Laurent has the second-largest employment pool in the Greater Montréal Area, with 110,000 jobs, after downtown Montréal. The borough has a surface area of 43 km², and employment zones cover more than 52 percent of its territory.

About Développement économique Saint-Laurent (DESTL)

Développement économique Saint-Laurent (DESTL) is overseeing the installation of electric vehicle charging stations in Saint-Laurent. DESTL is a one-stop multi-service centre for carrying out all business retention and expansion projects within Saint-Laurent. In 2011, DESTL supported several regional organizations and industries, thus helping generate $147 million in economic spin-offs and maintaining and creating over 2,944 jobs. For several years now, DESTL has also provided sustainable development assistance to help entrepreneurs go green.

SOURCE: HYDRO-QUEBEC

For further information:

Mathieu Rouy
Hydro-Québec for The Electric Circuit
514 289-2311
[e-mail]

Catherine Massicotte
Communication Officer
Développement économique Saint-Laurent (DESTL)
514 855-6000, extension 4817

Céline Vaillancourt
Communication Officer
Arrondissement de Saint-Laurent
514 855-6000, extension 4315