Historic Landmark to Become Energy Innovation Hub
Posted on 11/14/2025
A new Energy Innovation Hub featuring fast electric vehicle (EV) chargers and an accessible public meeting space will soon take shape on Euston Street in downtown Charlottetown.
Mayor Philip Brown was joined today by Premier Rob Lantz and community partners to officially mark the start of construction on the project, which will retrofit a heritage building and transform it into a community hub promoting renewable energy and sustainable living.
The project is made possible by a generous land donation from Irving Oil, as the property formerly operated as a popular filling and service station for over 70 years for residents and visitors to the Island. The structure was rebuilt in the 1930s by Acadian architect Samuel Roy and is one of several similar stations built by Irving Oil across the Maritimes. The white stucco building with its distinctive turreted roof was designated a heritage property in 1997 and remained in operation as a gas station until 2008.
The new facility will serve as a resource centre and collaboration space for advancing climate action, contributing to the City and province’s targets of net-zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2040 and net-zero energy by 2030.
The Energy Innovation Hub will feature:
• Level 3 EV chargers for public use — the first fast chargers available in downtown Charlottetown.
• Community meeting space with capacity for up to 50 people.
• A bikeshare pilot project offering bikes for public rental.
• An outdoor urban greenspace with public seating and landscaping featuring native plant species.
The project will restore the building’s original character, adding new exterior cladding, roofing, windows and doors. Historic details, including mouldings, the weathervane, and lighting fixtures, will be carefully reinstalled in their original locations. A new 650-sq.-ft. addition to the building will provide office and storage space.
The total project cost is estimated at $2 million, supported by $500,000 each from the Province of Prince Edward Island and the Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency (ACOA), and $750,000 from the City of Charlottetown.
Quotes:
“By reimagining this historic site, we’re not only preserving the past but also creating something new that benefits the public and supports a more sustainable future. I want to thank Irving Oil for the generous land donation that made this project possible, along with our provincial and federal funding partners, and the community members who helped bring this exciting downtown project to life.”– Mayor Philip Brown
“Residents and business leaders see the potential of this project to encourage connections in our community, inspire innovation, and turn bold ideas into reality. This is an investment in our built heritage, our economy, and in a more sustainable future for Islanders.” – Sean Casey, Member of Parliament for Charlottetown, on behalf of the Honourable Sean Fraser, P.C., K.C., Member of Parliament for Central Nova, Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada and Minister responsible for the Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency
"It is great to see this space redeveloped with a focus on energy and sustainable transportation. Beyond creating this useful collaboration space, adding new electric vehicle chargers in downtown Charlottetown is another step in making P.E.I. the most EV-friendly province." – The Honourable Rob Lantz, Premier of P.E.I.
“We are proud to support the City of Charlottetown and its residents through this important land donation — providing a foundation for the City’s vision for future development in its downtown core.” – Darren Gillis, Irving Oil’s Senior Vice President, Sales & Marketing