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Whistler to get more vehicle charging stations

Province grants money to expand electric vehicle program
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The Ministry of the Environment has approved funds for Whistler organizations to install several more charging stations for electric cars.

The organizations will get 75 per cent of the cost through the fund up to a maximum of $4,000 per station.

The Resort Municipality is also receiving funding to help plan and identify priority locations for additional stations. In total the 12 municipal or regional governments will receive $184,416 for the project.

All of the funds allocated are part of the $2.7-million Community Charging Infrastructure (CCI) Fund announced in April by Minister of Environment Terry Lake.

"It is extremely encouraging to see such widespread interest across the province, both at the local government and business level, in setting up electric vehicle charging stations," said Lake.

"As an electric vehicle owner myself, it is great to be able to add an increasing number of convenient locations to charge up and make owning an electric vehicle even more attractive than it already is in B.C."

Approved stations are distributed throughout the province and will provide public access for electric vehicle owners to charge vehicles in key locations such as municipal halls, shopping centres and hotels.

The CCI Fund is managed, administered and promoted by the Fraser Basin Council and will be accepting applications for the Charging Stations Incentive until Sept. 28, 2012. The purpose of the fund is to support a network of up to 570 charging stations provincewide. All stations must be installed by March 31 2013.

Said David Marshall, executive director, Fraser Basin Council: "We are thrilled with the early response for charging stations. This program will help kick-start the electric vehicle infrastructure needed to allow drivers more flexible trip options, and establish electric vehicles as a great option for consumers."

To date, 210 electric vehicles have been sold or leased under the Clean Energy Vehicle Program's point-of-sale incentive program.

The two Whistler organizations cleared for installation of the charging stations are the Aava Whistler Hotel, which will get two, and the Resort Municipality of Whistler, which will get six.