Victoria debuts first neighbourhood EV fast charging station
The City of Victoria has opened its first neighbourhood electric vehicle fast charging station as part of a program to expand green infrastructure across the city.
The two 50-kilowatt Direct Current Fast Chargers have opened in the Bay Street parking lot at Vic West Park, and officials celebrated the opening Saturday with a community event showcasing EV charging and providing information on switching to an electric vehicle.
Direct Current Fast Chargers provide "a significantly faster charge" than Level 2 EV chargers, the city says in a statement, noting that they can provide an 80 per cent charge in about an hour, depending on the make, model and battery of the vehicle being charged.
The city says its Electric Vehicle and Electric Mobility Strategy will see 30 EV fast chargers installed near apartments and other multi-family housing units over the next five years.
"The city’s Climate Leadership Plan sets a target for 30 per cent of passenger vehicles in Victoria to be renewably powered by the end of this decade, reaching 100 per cent by 2050," the city says in its release.
"As of Oct. 1, 2020, all residential properties must be EV charging ready and all new commercial developments must include at least 5 per cent of parking stalls that are energized and ready for EV chargers."
Across B.C., approximately 17 per cent of new car sales are electric. That's double the Canada-wide average of 8.5 per cent.
Victoria's 2022 municipal budget invests $1.5 million in electric vehicle infrastructure, with additional funding provided by the province and the federal government.
With files from The Canadian Press
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Young people 'tortured' if stolen vehicle operations fail, Montreal police tell MPs
One day after a Montreal police officer fired gunshots at a suspect in a stolen vehicle, senior officers were telling parliamentarians that organized crime groups are recruiting people as young as 15 in the city to steal cars so that they can be shipped overseas.
'It was joy': Trapped B.C. orca calf eats seal meat, putting rescue on hold
A rescue operation for an orca calf trapped in a remote tidal lagoon off Vancouver Island has been put on hold after it started eating seal meat thrown in the water for what is believed to be the first time.
Man sets self on fire outside New York court where Trump trial underway
A man set himself on fire on Friday outside the New York courthouse where Donald Trump's historic hush-money trial was taking place as jury selection wrapped up, but officials said he did not appear to have been targeting Trump.
Sask. father found guilty of withholding daughter to prevent her from getting COVID-19 vaccine
Michael Gordon Jackson, a Saskatchewan man accused of abducting his daughter to prevent her from getting a COVID-19 vaccine, has been found guilty for contravention of a custody order.
Mandisa, Grammy award-winning 'American Idol' alum, dead at 47
Soulful gospel artist Mandisa, a Grammy-winning singer who got her start as a contestant on 'American Idol' in 2006, has died, according to a statement on her verified social media. She was 47.
She set out to find a husband in a year. Then she matched with a guy on a dating app on the other side of the world
Scottish comedian Samantha Hannah was working on a comedy show about finding a husband when Toby Hunter came into her life. What happened next surprised them both.
B.C. judge orders shared dog custody for exes who both 'clearly love Stella'
In a first-of-its-kind ruling, a B.C. judge has awarded a former couple joint custody of their dog.
Saskatoon police to search landfill for remains of woman missing since 2020
Saskatoon police say they will begin searching the city’s landfill for the remains of Mackenzie Lee Trottier, who has been missing for more than three years.
Shivering for health: The myths and truths of ice baths explained
In a climate of social media-endorsed wellness rituals, plunging into cold water has promised to aid muscle recovery, enhance mental health and support immune system function. But the evidence of such benefits sits on thin ice, according to researchers.