Sask. First Nation embracing electric vehicle movement

WATCH: Little Black Bear First Nation is adding to their gas station with charging for EV vehicles. Mick Favel has the details.

Little Black Bear First Nation and its partners recently celebrated the official grand opening of its first electrical vehicle charging station.

Located in the town of Fort Qu’Appelle, Sask. the new charging station is now a part of the Petro-Canada gas station owned by the nation.

Clarence Bellegarde is the Chief of Little Black Bear First Nation and said the charging station is intended for locals as well as those visiting the area.

“In case you ever need your vehicle charged and need to get home, we have a charging station in Fort Qu’Appelle that they can take advantage of,” Bellegarde said.

It took about three years of planning to get the charging station installed. A number of factors helped shape the intention and direction of the project. Those included the carbon footprint of the nation, as well as future environmental impacts.

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Michelle Bellegarde is the project manager and was a part of the entire process. She said there’s been much growth in the electric vehicle industry in the past three years.

“Three years ago there was no electrical charging station person that I could call, now they are everywhere. We are so happy to be a part of the industry,” Michelle Bellegarde said.

K W Petroleum Services has been a longtime partner of Little Black Bear First Nation.

Josh Ferguson from K W Petroleum said the EV installations are a special moment for the partnership as it continues to move towards sustainability.

“It is energy and it is about helping people get around. We are happy to keep people moving whichever [way] that will be,” Ferguson said.

Bellegarde hopes other nations take into consideration the wellbeing of the water and land when developing future projects.