According to the provincial government, BC has one of the largest public zero-emissions vehicle charging networks in Canada.
In partnership with BC Hydro, City of Powell River has installed six electrical vehicle (EV) charging stations in recent years, which are available for the public to use in order to make driving an electric car a viable alternative to a gas powered one.
For those who are travelling through the qathet region, or residents with electric vehicles, knowing where to charge while away from home is important.
Current EV locations:
Willingdon Avenue at North Harbour, pay parking lot, Westview Ferry Terminal; behind Powell River City Hall; Powell River Public Library; Powell River Recreation Complex; and qathet Museum and Archives. In Townsite, The Old Courthouse Inn also has an EV charging station.
BC Hydro stated in a news release earlier this year that the power authority added a 100-kilowatt charging unit at the ferry terminal parking lot to make it faster to charge up and to support electrical vehicle tourism on the Sunshine Coast.
Transportation accounts for about 40 per cent of greenhouse gas emissions in BC and Chris O'Riley, president and CEO of BC Hydro, stated that, “as the primary fuel supplier for electric vehicles, we are building out charging infrastructure to ensure we can accommodate the volume and variety of electric vehicles that will be on BC roads in the coming years.”
BC Hydro hopes to have 325 charging units in its network at 145 sites by the end of 2025.
City of Powell River has been transitioning its work vehicles from gas to electric in order to reduce the city’s carbon footprint and to reach a goal of net-zero greenhouse gas emissions.
Currently, the city has no plans to add more [EV charging stations]. Private sector installations include charging stations at Pacific Point Market and First Credit Union.
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