Another reason to choose an electrical vehicle has popped up in Campbell River.
A new EV charging station, which will be operated by BC Hydro, has been placed at 401 11th Avenue.
This will be the fifth charging station in the city.
“More and more British Columbians are switching to electric vehicles to save on fuel costs and reduce air pollution,” said Bruce Ralston, Minister of Energy, Mines and Low-Carbon Innovation. “Through CleanBC, we’re working with our partners to expand our EV charging network across the province, make it easier for drivers to go electric and put B.C. on the road to a clean energy future.”
READ MORE: Island community to add 10 more electric vehicle stations
READ MORE: Campbell River to get another electric vehicle charging station
The fast charger allows drivers of electrical vehicles to get approximately 250 kilometres worth of charge per hour.
“We are giving Canadians the greener options they want to get to where they need to go. This is how we get to net-zero by 2050,” said Seamus O’Regan Jr., federal Minister of Natural Resources.
The new station is the result of a partnership between Natural Resources Canada, the Ministry of Energy, Mines and Low Carbon Innovation and BC Hydro.
“People in British Columbia are switching to clean electric vehicles in record numbers to reduce climate-harming pollution, save on fuel and maintenance costs and enjoy a cleaner, better technology,” said George Heyman, Minister of Environment and Climate Change Strategy. “Through CleanBC, we’re helping make EVs more affordable and more convenient to drive by significantly expanding fast-charging stations all across the province.”
B.C. has one of the largest public charging networks in Canada. At the end of 2020, there were more than 2,500 public charging stations in B.C. including more than 480 fast-charging stations. B.C. also has the highest uptake rates of zero-emission vehicle (ZEV) adoption with more than 54,000 ZEVs registered in December 2020.
These investments are part of the Province’s broader strategy to move toward 100% new light-duty ZEV sales by 2040. This spring, the Province released the BC Public Light-Duty Zero-Emission Vehicle Infrastructure Study to provide businesses, municipalities and Indigenous governments with guidance on where to locate future charging sites. The report also shows that 50 per cent of the public fast-charging sites required to meet the province’s 2040 demand are already built or underway and these stations contribute to meeting infrastructure goals.
The Government of Canada has invested more than $1 billion to make EVs more affordable and charging infrastructure more accessible. These investments are building a coast-to-coast network of fast chargers and installing chargers in localized areas.
The government also provides incentives of up to $5,000 to help Canadians buy EVs and full tax write-offs for businesses purchasing them. These investments support Canada’s new mandatory target of 100% zero-emission light-duty vehicle sales by 2035.
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