Saanich offering up to $1,600 in e-bike rebates in new pilot program
The District of Saanich is offering rebates and discounts for people who are interested in purchasing an electric bike (e-bike).
The district says it's the first municipality in B.C. to offer such a rebate, called the Community E-bike Incentive Pilot Program, which Saanich hopes will help reduce local greenhouse gas emissions.
Saanich residents can apply for a rebate online. There are three different rebates available, a $350 incentive, an $800 incentive and a $1,600 incentive. The size of the rebate depends on a resident's household income.
Meanwhile, the municipality is offering discounts for e-bike safety classes with select organizations.
Further details on the rebates, and how to apply for them, can be found on the district's website.
"With the average bike trip length being 3.3 km and the average e-bike trip length being 6.1 km in Saanich, e-bikes can replace the average 5.3 km car trip more efficiently than traditional bikes," the district said in a release Tuesday.
The district say that annual maintenance for an e-bike comes in at less than $1,000, significantly lower than the annual average cost of owning a vehicle, which is $7,000, according to Saanich.
"E-bikes have become an increasingly popular mode of transportation and by providing a rebate on the purchase price, we want to help more folks purchase and use them to get around," said Saanich Mayor Fred Haynes in a statement Tuesday.
"By making them more affordable, we hope more families will be able to utilize e-bikes as a climate-friendly transportation option that shrinks transportation costs, enhances their fitness and helps the environment," he said.
The district says it will work with Greater Victoria Community Social Planning Council and researchers at the University of British Columbia to monitor the pilot program for equity considerations for the rebates, and impacts on local green house gas emissions and commuting behaviour.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Grandparent scam: London, Ont., senior beats fraudsters not once, but twice
It was a typical Tuesday for Mabel Beharrell, 84, until she got the call that would turn her world upside down. Her teenaged grandson was in trouble and needed her help.
Deaths of 4 people on Sask. farm confirmed as murder-suicide
The deaths of four people on a farm near the Saskatchewan village of Neudorf have been confirmed a murder-suicide.
CRA no longer requiring 'bare trust' reporting in 2023 tax return
The Canada Revenue Agency announced Thursday it will not require 'bare trust' reporting from Canadians that it introduced for the 2024 tax season, just four days before the April 2 deadline.
Full parole granted to man convicted in notorious 'McDonald's murders' in Cape Breton
The Parole Board of Canada has granted full parole to one of three men convicted in the brutal murders of three McDonald's restaurant workers in Cape Breton more than 30 years ago.
Incident on Calgary's Reconciliation Bridge comes to safe resolution
Nearly 20 hours after a man climbed and remained perched on top of the Reconciliation Bridge in downtown Calgary, the situation came to a peaceful resolution.
Sunshine list: These were the Ontario public sector's highest earners in 2023
Ontario released its annual sunshine list Thursday afternoon, noting that the largest year-over-year increases were in hospitals, municipalities, and post-secondary sectors.
George Washington family secrets revealed by DNA from unmarked 19th century graves
Genetic analysis has shed light on a long-standing mystery surrounding the fates of U.S. President George Washington's younger brother Samuel and his kin.
'We won't forget': How some Muslims view Poilievre's stance on Israel-Hamas war
A spokesman for a regional Muslim advocacy group says Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre's stance on the Israel-Hamas war could complicate his party's relationship with Muslim Canadians.
Why some Christians are angry about Trump's 'God Bless the USA' Bible
Former U.S. President Donald Trump is officially selling a copy of the Bible themed to Lee Greenwood’s famous song, 'God Bless the USA.' But the concept of a Bible covered in the American flag has raised concern among religious circles.