If you own an electric vehicle or have ever thought of purchasing one, it will now be easier to recharge and keep moving with the introduction of 454 new charging stations in communities throughout the province.

As part of the $2.7-million Community Charging Infrastructure (CCI) Fund announced in April by Minister of Environment Terry Lake, 71 organizations have been approved through an Early Bird Application process for charging station incentives. These organizations will receive 75 per cent of the cost through the fund, up to $4,000 per station, to purchase and install 286 level two charging stations.

In addition to the charging station incentives, 12 local municipal/regional governments will receive $184, 416 in funding to help plan and identify priority locations for 168 additional stations. These local government recipients include:

• Capital Regional District
• City of Campbell River
• City of Dawson Creek
• City of Duncan
• City of Fort St. John
• City of Merritt
• City of Nanaimo
• City of Terrace
• District of Sechelt
• Metro Vancouver
• Resort Municipality of Whistler
• Regional District of Nanaimo

These communities will be working with local businesses in their regions to identify key locations to site charging stations for public use.

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.

Quotes:

Terry Lake, Minister of Environment -

"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."

"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."

Rich Coleman, Minister of Energy, Mines and Natural Gas -

"Providing climate-friendly fuel options is a great way for B.C. families to lower their energy costs and build on our government's leadership in low-carbon transportation."

"This funding will go a long way towards ensuring people across the province can do that using clean, made-in-B.C. electricity."

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."

John Horton, president, Shape Properties -

"Clean energy vehicles are one of the many initiatives that we have been exploring in an effort to support sustainable lifestyles and provide added value to our communities. We are excited that our first charging stations will be available at our new shopping centre, Highstreet, a 600,000-square-foot * outdoor centre opening next spring at Highway 1 and Mt. Lehman in Abbotsford."

* About 55,742 square metres

Learn More:

BC Newsroom - Ministry of Environment: http://www.newsroom.gov.bc.ca/ministries/environment-1

Clean Energy Vehicle Program: http://www.env.gov.bc.ca/cas/mitigation/cev.html

CEVforBC(tm): http://www.cevforbc.ca/

LiveSmart BC: http://www.livesmartbc.ca

New Car Dealers Association of BC: www.newcardealers.ca

Fraser Basin Council Society: http://www.fraserbasin.bc.ca/index.html

BC Hydro Electric Vehicles website: http://www.bchydro.com/about/our_commitment/sustainability/plugin_vehicles.html

Two backgrounders follow.

Media Contact:

Stuart Bertrand
Communications
Ministry of Environment
250 387-9630

BACKGROUNDER 1

Sept. 12, 2012 Ministry of Environment

Facts about the Clean Energy Vehicle Program

• The Clean Energy Vehicle Program is a comprehensive program designed to provide British Columbians with a variety of clean and green choices for their transportation needs.
• To date, 210 electric vehicles have been sold or leased under the Clean Energy Vehicle Program's point-of-sale incentive program.
• There is still more room for both communities and consumers to step forward and make a green choice through the Clean Energy Vehicle Program. Communities and organizations have until Sept. 28 to apply for charging station incentives and consumers have until March 31, 2013, to apply for a rebate of up to $5,000 off the pre-sticker price for qualifying vehicles.
• Pure battery-powered electric vehicles have zero tailpipe emissions.
• A one-hour charge from a Level 2 station increases the range of a vehicle by about 30 km.
• Battery-powered electric vehicles should cost as little as $300 per year in electricity bills compared to upward of $1,500 per year to fuel a gas-powered car.
• Electric vehicles are not limited to large urban areas like Vancouver. Many British Columbians are making the decision to purchase a clean energy vehicle. There are owners in communities such as Fernie, Castlegar, Kelowna, Prince George, Vernon, Kamloops, Penticton and Invermere.
• New community charging points will allow electric vehicle owners more options for travel between communities and within their own community. For example, an owner in Merritt will be able to top up their vehicle's battery at one of the four new stations being installed in Merritt and will be able to get to Kelowna where they will be able to recharge.
• The Community Charging Infrastructure Fund is overseen by British Columbia's Ministry of Environment and Ministry of Energy and Mines and Natural Gas, and administered by the Fraser Basin Council.
• The Fraser Basin Council Society is a not-for-profit, non-governmental organization established in 1997 to promote action-oriented, sustainable projects throughout the Fraser River Basin.
• The fund is part of "Plug in BC", an initiative of the government of British Columbia, in collaboration with BC Hydro and others, to help lay the groundwork for plug-in electric vehicles and charging infrastructure.
• For more information on the CCI Fund incentives, eligibility and evaluation criteria, and to apply, visit: www.pluginbc.ca

Media Contact:

Stuart Bertrand
Communications
Ministry of Environment
250 387-9630

BACKGROUNDER 2

Sept. 12, 2012 Ministry of Environment

Organizations and Charging Stations

As part of the $2.7 million Community Charging Infrastructure (CCI) Fund, 71 organizations will be installing 286 level two charging stations. The organizations and the number of charging stations to be installed are as follows:

Aava Whistler Hotel (Whistler)(2)

AdvantageHOPE (1)

Armstrong Regional Cooperative (Salmon Arm and Armstrong)(3)

Best Buy Canada (Burnaby) (2)

BEST WESTERN PLUS Kelowna Hotel & Suites (2)

Big Green Island (Vancouver)(2)

Capilano University (4)

City of Campbell River (5)

City of Castlegar (1)

City of Chilliwack (3)

City of Colwood (6)

City of Merritt (4)

City of New Westminster (5)

City of North Vancouver (10)

City of Pitt Meadows (2)

City of Port Moody (4)

City of Prince George (4)

City of Surrey (14)

City of Vernon (2)

City of Victoria (10)

Computrol Fuel Systems (Burnaby) (2)

Cowichan Valley Regional District (4)

CUBE Global Storage Ltd. (Victoria. Sidney) (4)

District of Highlands (2)

District of Invermere (3)

District of Maple Ridge (8)

District of Metchosin (2)

District of North Vancouver (1)

District of Oak Bay (2)

District of Saanich (12)

District of Sechelt (3)

District of Summerland (3)

District of Tofino (2)

District of West Vancouver (4)

Fired Up Ceramics (Victoria) (2)

Fraser Health Authority, Ridge Meadows Hospital (2)

Groundswell Network (Invermere) (1)

Ivanhoe Cambridge (Victoria) (2)

Ivanhoe Cambridge II Inc - Metropolis at Metrotown (Burnaby) (10)

Ivanhoe Cambridge Inc. - Woodgrove Centre (Nanaimo) (2)

Jamie's Whaling Station Ltd. (Tofino) (1)

Langara College (2)

Metro Vancouver (8)

Mott Electric GP (Burnaby) (2)

Okanagan College (Kelowna, Vernon, Salmon Arm, Penticton) (10)

Pemberton Valley Lodge (2)

Resort Municipality of Whistler (6)

Rocky Mountain School District (Invermere) (1)

Royal Roads University (Colwood) (2)

Salt Spring Island Climate Action Council Society (2)

Shape Properties Corp. (Abbotsford, Nanaimo, Burnaby, Duncan, Port Alberni) (14)

Sunshine Coast Regional District (2)

The Bunkhouse Campground Resort (Village of Queen Charlotte) (1)

The City of Richmond (10)

The City of White Rock (2)

The Corporation of the District of North Cowichan (1)

The University of British Columbia (10)

Thompson Rivers University (8)

Town of Ladysmith (3)

Town of Lake Cowichan (2)

Town of Osoyoos (2)

Town of Qualicum Beach (5)

Township of Langley (6)

TRU Williams Lake (2)

University of Northern British Columbia (2)

University of the Fraser Valley (8)

Vancity (Coquitlam) (1)

Vancouver Airport Authority (2)

Vancouver School Board (4)

VINCI Park Services (Canada) Inc. (Vancouver) (4)

WorkSafeBC (Richmond) (4)

Media Contact:

Stuart Bertrand
Communications
Ministry of Environment
250 387-9630