The Township of Langley is charging forward with sustainable transportation options that encourage the use of electric vehicles (EVs) through its new Low Carbon Mobility Plan.
The plan, which was recently adopted by Township council, outlines ways the municipality can move towards transportation systems that emit low or no greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, and focusses on EVs, which are currently the most low-carbon passenger vehicles.
“Since 2013, the Township has seen a 3,000 per cent increase in the number of charging sessions at its seven public EV charging stations,” said Township Mayor Jack Froese. “That is a huge increase which shows a significant number of residents are dedicated to reducing their environmental impact by using these cleaner, quieter vehicles.”
Developed through best practice research and in consultation with residents, the plan includes strategies that will help the Township support EV adoption in the community and within the Township’s fleet of vehicles.
“In July, council accelerated our municipality’s climate action commitment by passing a motion acknowledging the climate crisis,” Froese said. “We want to make EV use easier and charging stations more accessible as part of our overall strategy to reduce the harmful emissions that contribute to climate change.”
There are 36 actions in the plan, including those outlining how the Township can show leadership by incorporating EVs into its municipal fleet and providing EV charging stations for the public and its employees at various its facilities throughout the municipality.
The plan encourages EV charging on private property and introduces requirements for new developments, including multi-family buildings and places of business. The Township is also encouraging the renovation of existing buildings to provide access to charging stations.
Expanding the Township’s publicly-accessible EV charging network and implementing user fees to offset their cost is also recommended, along with exploring the possibility of providing on-street charging.
“When developing the Low Carbon Mobility Plan, 82 per cent of our survey respondents said they live within 45 kilometres of work or school,” said Township Sustainability Programs specialist Tanya Drouillard. “With modern EVs able to travel between 200 to 450 kilometres between charges, EV ranges should not be an issue for the majority of Township residents in their day-to-day travels.”
Strategies for trucks, buses, and off-road vehicles, and the need for public education and awareness are also included in the plan, along with suggestions for electrifying shared transportation.
Township staff will begin implementing the no- and low-cost actions immediately, and will bring forward budget requests for other actions over the next five years. The plan will be revisited to explore other sustainable modes of transportation and add new technologies as they become more feasible.
The Low Carbon Mobility Plan, along with information on new incentives for home and workplace charging and provincial and federal vehicle incentives, can be found online at tol.ca/electricvehicles.
