Funding helps promote electric vehicle uptake in B.C.

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Community groups and local governments throughout B.C. can receive funding through the province’s Community Outreach Incentive Program to educate and encourage people to switch to electric vehicles.

“We’re helping to raise awareness about the many benefits of EVs in communities across B.C. As more and more people make the switch to EVs in all parts of the province, everyone benefits from cleaner air and less pollution,” Bruce Ralston, Minister of Energy, Mines and Low Carbon Innovation, said in announcing the initiative. “And by reducing carbon emissions and using clean energy to get around every day, we’re working toward our CleanBC plan to build a stronger, brighter future.”

The Province is providing $118,000 through the Incentive Program under a partnership with the Emotive outreach and awareness campaign to support B.C. communities, organizations and local governments delivering local and regional EV-awareness campaigns that include video production, EV charging, EV events and demonstrations.

This year, funding was also provided to the Clean Transportation Targets and Planning pilot that supports target setting, policy planning and implementation to encourage the transition to EVs as well as other forms of transportation, such as walking, cycling and public transit.

“More people than ever before are discovering the benefits of switching to electric vehicles in communities across the province,” noted George Heyman, Minister of Environment and Climate Change Strategy.

Among those funded in this round of Community Outreach Incentive Program is the Musqueam Indian Band, receiving $13,000 to create a series of videos showcasing Musqueam residents and staff sharing their EV experiences to promote the health and environmental benefits of EVs. Funding is also supporting research and planning for future electrification of the Musqueam vehicle fleet.

“Experiencing the adverse effects of climate change in recent years has made reducing on-reserve CO2 emissions a priority for Musqueam membership and administration,” said Ehsan Haghi, project lead and community energy specialist, Musqueam Indian Band. “The COIP funding enables the band to provide information to the membership about the cost of purchasing an electric car, the financial and environmental benefits of switching to an electric car and critical factors to consider when buying an electric car.”

The Resort Municipality of Whistler and District of Squamish received $9,960 to create videos that profile EV drivers in the commuter workforce in the Sea-to-Sky region and host a webinar to educate people about the advantages of EV ownership.

The programs align with the goals in the Province’s CleanBC Roadmap to 2030, which details a range of expanded actions to accelerate the transition to a net-zero future and achieve B.C.’s legislated greenhouse gas emissions targets. Included is a required 26 per cent of light-duty vehicle sales to be ZEV by 2026, 90 per cent by 2030 and 100 per cent by 2035 – five years ahead of the original target.

Today, B.C. is leading the country in transitioning to EVs with more than 60,000 light-duty EVs on the road, the Province said.

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