A PJC Jean-Coutu pharmacy joins the Electric Circuit

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 owner-pharmacists René Gagné and Marcel Proulx, affiliated to the PJC Jean Coutu network, for the roll-out of a public charging station for electric vehicles (EVs). It will be installed this summer in the parking lot of one of their PJC Jean Coutu pharmacies, at 3216, boulevard Taschereau, in the borough of Greenfield Park, in Longueuil.

"We are very pleased to be associated with Québec’s leader in public charging and give our customers the opportunity to fill up with clean and renewable energy when needed," said René Gagné, owner-pharmacist affiliated to the PJC Jean Coutu network. "The economic and environmental advantages of driving with electricity are undeniable and, as a corporate citizen, it was important that we take part in this evolution."

"We are delighted to welcome owner-pharmacists René Gagné and Marcel Proulx as partners of the Electric Circuit," added Pierre-Luc Desgagné, Vice President – Public and Government Affairs at Hydro-Québec, on behalf of the founding partners of the Electric Circuit. "Integrating this first pharmacy to our service offering demonstrates one of the strengths of our network, namely to offer top-up service in a variety of places. Electric vehicle drivers can travel worry-free knowing that a network of public charging is available if necessary."

The Electric Circuit
The Electric Circuit is a major initiative in the rollout of charging infrastructure needed to support the arrival of plug-in vehicles in Québec.

The Electric Circuit now offers almost 160 charging stations (240 V) in parking lots of the AMT, as well as those of many RONA hardware stores, Metro grocery stores and St-Hubert restaurants throughout Québec. Since its launch in March 2012, 32 other private and institutional partners have joined the Electric Circuit. It will continue to expand in order to provide greater geographical coverage and serve more EV drivers in several regions of Québec.

While EV owners do most of their charging at home and at work, drivers can travel worry-free, knowing they can top up their batteries on the road if they need to. Electric Circuit users 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 installed or commissioned.

For information:

René Gagné
PJC Jean-Coutu franchisee
514 465-5225
rene.gagne@bellnet.ca

Nathalie Vachon
Hydro-Québec, for the Electric Circuit
514 289-2441
vachon.nathalie@hydro.qc.ca