The City of Vancouver has launched an $800,000 pilot program to expand electric charging stations across the city to encourage the use of zero-emission vehicles.
Up to 67 charging posts will be installed across the city by the end of 2013.
“As Vancouver strives to become the greenest city in the world by 2020, we need to ensure the city’s infrastructure will support and accelerate the shift toward lower carbon transportation options such as electric vehicles,” said Mayor Gregor Robertson.
The Federation of Canadian Municipalities invested $350,000 in the project through its green municipal fund, endowed by the Government of Canada.
Other funding came from:
• the B.C. government ($261,000);
• BC Hydro ($119,000); and
• City of Vancouver ($70,000).
Past initiatives to make Vancouver a leader in electric vehicle infrastructure include its 2009 move to institute a policy requiring that 20% of parking stalls in new condo buildings be capable of having electric vehicle charging stations and that all new single-family homes have dedicated electric vehicle plug-ins.
