Gas stations, commercial lots in Vancouver must have EV chargers by 2025 or pay $10K a year
If a Vancouver gas station or commercial lot with 60 spots or more wants to avoid a $10,000 annual licence fee, it will need to have electric vehicle (EV) chargers available by 2025.
On Thursday, Vancouver city council approved a report first brought forward in April. Currently, gas stations and commercial parking lots pay a $243 fee for licensing. If they install EV charging infrastructure by 2025, that fee will remain; if not, the cost will jump to $10,000 each year.
Ian Neville, senior sustainability specialist at the City of Vancouver, said the policy is designed to make chargers more accessible in areas of the city that don't have many available, such as Southeast Vancouver.
“That's one of the big pieces. Obviously, we would also like to see more private-sector involvement in deploying charging,” he said.
“And the city does it as a community amenity. It's something we've been in the business of doing for about 10 years now.”
Right now, two of Vancouver's 66 gas stations have EV chargers, and council hopes the move will encourage EV use and incentivize gas stations and lot owners to install chargers.
Around 40 per cent of the city's greenhouse gas emissions come from fossil fuel-powered vehicles, while the other notable chunk comes from buildings, at 60 per cent, with many of those emissions coming from natural gas.
EVs are one part of a clean transit system, but experts say bolstering public transport and encouraging denser and mixed-use neighbourhoods is also an important part of the puzzle. Neville said the city's Climate Emergency Action plan addresses some of those issues, and he notes things like electrifying transit fall outside of the city's jurisdiction.
City staff said a conservative cost estimate to install the chargers is $136,000 for gas stations and $100,000 for commercial lot owners. These costs would be recovered in around eight years by charging for the power, they added. Also, businesses would be eligible for low-carbon fuel standard credits through the provincial government if they install EV chargers.
During the public hearing, EV user Tim Bray expressed overall support for the report but said the case for gas stations is “weak” and noted incentives for malls and other places where people spend more time might be more suited.
“If we really want to move the needle on EV adoption, the thing to do is to focus on getting chargers into work locations, and especially condo garages… I know the issue is difficult and has awful, sharp edges,” he said.
“But I think there are opportunities for the city to apply incentives here as well. But… yes, this is great. Let's have lots of chargers in parking lots.”
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Health minister 'deeply appreciative' of doctors but capital gains changes here to stay
Health Minister Mark Holland says while he is 'deeply appreciative' of the work doctors in Canada do, the federal government has no plans to scrap the proposed capital gains tax changes outlined in the latest budget, despite opposition from the Canadian Medical Association.
Chants of 'shame on you' greet guests arriving for the annual White House correspondents' dinner
An election-year roast of U.S. President Joe Biden before journalists, celebrities and politicians at the annual White House correspondents' dinner Saturday.
Deadly six-vehicle crash on Highway 400 sparked by road rage incident
One person was killed in a six-vehicle crash on Highway 400 in Innisfil Friday evening.
'Of course, yes': Poland latest European country with interest in Canadian LNG
The President of Poland says his country would 'of course' be interested in purchasing Canadian liquefied natural gas if it were available, while the Canadian federal government has said it is 'not interested' in subsidizing future projects.
Passage of harsh anti-2SLGBTQ+ law in Iraq draws diplomatic backlash
Human rights groups and diplomats criticized a law that was quietly passed by the Iraqi parliament over the weekend that would impose heavy prison sentences on gay and transgender people.
Opinion I just don't get Taylor Swift
It's one thing to say you like Taylor Swift and her music, but don't blame CNN's AJ Willingham's when she says she just 'doesn't get' the global phenomenon.
Invasive and toxic hammerhead worms make themselves at home in Ontario
Ontario is now home to an invasive and toxic worm species that can grow up to three feet long and can be dangerous to small animals and pets.
A munitions explosion at a Cambodian army base kills 20 soldiers, but its cause is unclear
Security was tight around a military base in southwestern Cambodia on Sunday, a day after a huge explosion there killed 20 soldiers, wounded others and damaged nearby houses.
What Trudeau's podcast appearances say about the Liberals' next ballot box question
Trudeau recently appeared on four podcasts as he travels the country talking up the Liberals' latest budget, which he's pitching as a plan to inject more economic fairness into society for those under 40 — a cohort that has kept Trudeau in power since 2015 but is increasingly turning to Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre.