Residents, and those travelling through Pemberton, BC, will soon have access to two new EV fast chargers, announced Patrick Weiler, the MP for West Vancouver–Sunshine Coast–Sea to Sky Country, on behalf of the Minister of Natural Resources Jonathan Wilkinson. The investment is aimed at reducing pollution from the transportation sector so Canada is closer to achieving its climate targets.
“Thanks to policy and incentives from both the province and the federal government, British Columbia has the highest electric vehicle adoption rate in Canada and the entire continent,” said Weiler. “Canada is investing in charging infrastructure in Pemberton so that the fast-growing numbers of new drivers of electric vehicles will be able to quickly charge their vehicles, easing travel and contributing to lowering emissions from transportation.”
The chargers will be available to Permbertonians by July 2023. $100,000 of the funding for the chargers is through Canada’s Zero-Emission Vehicle Infrastructure Program (ZEVIP). The project will also receive $148,900 from the Village of Pemberton through the Canada Community-Building Fund and $50,000 from the Province of British Columbia through the CleanBC Go Electric Program, bringing the total project cost to $298,900.
“The Village of Pemberton is extremely grateful to Natural Resources Canada and the Province of British Columbia for their contributions toward this essential infrastructure,” said Pemberton Mayor, Mike Richman. “The addition of the new EV Chargers on Aster Street will encourage the adoption of electric vehicles in our community, helping to reduce emissions and delivering on a key strategy of the Village’s Community Climate Action Plan.”
Since 2016, the Government of Canada has invested a historic $1 billion to make EVs more affordable and chargers more accessible for Canadians.