Even more Electric Vehicle (EV) fast charging stations are coming for the City of Delta.
Council this week approved a licence agreement with BC Hydro for the use of nine parking stalls at the Sungod Recreation Centre for the installation of eight direct current (DC) fast charge stations.
Nine stalls will be used to ensure that at least one of the charging station stalls will have a wider width to accommodate accessibility.
BC Hydro is expanding its network of DC fast charge EV charging stations throughout the province, currently owning and operating four stations at South Delta Recreation Centre, under another licence agreement with Delta.
BC Hydro, which pays for the stations and maintenance, is looking for other sites throughout the city, which would provide the spaces at no cost.
The city currently owns and operates 30 public Level 2 charging stations at civic facilities and 20 more will be installed this year, along with one DC fast charge station at the North Delta Recreation Centre
A report to council notes that a study commissioned by Metro Vancouver in 2023 indicates that to meet future EV charging needs, Delta will require approximately 58 public DC fast charging stations by 2035. The Metro Vancouver study and Delta’s Electric Vehicle Strategy support the installation of more charging opportunities for the residents and visitors of Delta, the report notes.
Meanwhile, the provincial government this week announced that $30 million from Budget 2024 will go toward adding more than 500 public charging stations to more than 5,000 already available across the province.
To ensure that every community in B.C. has access to a fast charge station, the CleanBC Go Electric Public Charger Program is prioritizing applications for projects that fill geographic gaps in B.C.’s charging network, that are located in rural, northern and First Nation communities or that are located in urban areas with high EV uptake.
The province also notes that the program will prioritize applications for locations highly accessible to the public, including community and recreation centres, libraries, highway rest stops and park-and-ride stations.
