2024-05-02 04:00:00
A new $100,000 electric van for Saint-Lazare, a lightly used model for half the price in Saint-Félicien; Quebec cities are taking very different approaches to managing public funds, at a time when the municipal sector is starving.
In the name of the ecological transition, several cities have recently bought new electric pick-ups, each of which costs six figures, noted our Bureau of Investigation.
Saint-Bruno-de-Montarville, Chambly and Saint-Lazare in Montérégie, Shawinigan in Mauricie have all bought Ford F-150 Lightnings for more than $100,000 in the past year.
Prévost, in the Laurentians, even bought the luxury “Lariat” model, which includes heated leather seats and a steering wheel and rain-sensing wipers.
Few choices
“Last year, the only electric model available was the Lariat,” explains Audrey-Anne Lamarre, at the City of Prévost. She assures that the municipality with 14,000 inhabitants will save approximately 4,500 dollars per year on petrol and will quickly make the purchase profitable.
The lack of availability of the base version of the Ford Lightning has also been systematically invoked to justify the purchase of more equipped and more expensive models.
Some cities have still managed to do better business. Richelieu and Marieville, in Montérégie, both found less luxurious models costing around $75,000 each.
Other municipalities directly choose used vans, saying they want to preserve public funds.
This is especially the case with Saint-Félicien, in Saguenay–Lac-Saint-Jean, who recently bought a 2021 Ford F-250, for regarding $53,000. “We bought used for the sake of public funds, because new vans are really too expensive,” said Linda Lachance, assistant to day-to-day management and city hall.
Similar story in Saint-Alexandre, in Montérégie, who bought a 2022 GMC Sierra last December for $55,000.
Quebec municipalities have increased public outings in recent months, saying they lack financial resources, especially to fund public transportation.
“Missed opportunity”
According to an analysis carried out by Équiterre, over nine years, a new electric van would be regarding $30,000 cheaper than a new internal combustion vehicle, all expenses included. However, the organization did not consider the option of a used vehicle, which might prove to be more economical.
In terms of carbon emissions, they will be five times less with an electric van over its lifetime, at a speed of 25,000 km per year.
In addition, municipalities cited the reduction in greenhouse gases to justify the purchase. But for Pierre J. Hamel, a professor at INRS who specializes in local public finance, “when we pay for one pick-up that is worth the price of two pick-ups, we miss a great opportunity to invest [ailleurs] to mitigate climate change.
According to him, the renovation of municipal buildings, which are real “thermal sieves”, would have a much more significant impact on the environment. “I don’t think electric vehicles are a priority.”
Mr. Hamel also adds that cities will increasingly have to face climate disasters such as floods and massive blackouts. – Imagine a municipality that is left with many useless electric cars when the power goes out, he illustrates.
Two ways of managing public funds
Saint-Bruno-de-Montarville
Model: Ford Lightning XLT (electric)
Condition: new
Year: 2023
Price: $106,000
The photo is taken from the Saint-Bruno-de-Montarville Facebook page
Saint-Félicien
Model: Ford F-250 (combustion)
Condition: Used
Year: 2021
Price: $53,000
The used F250 van from Saint-Félicien
Photo provided by the city of Saint-Félicien
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