20 new electric vehicle charging stations open in Saanich

The District of Saanich is opening 20 new public electric vehicle (EV) charging stations, adding to the 12 existing stations.

The new stations are located in the following eight municipal sites, including four brand new locations at Saanich parks.

• Saanich Commonwealth Place – 6 new stations (plus 2 existing stations)
• G.R. Pearkes Recreation Centre – 2 new stations (plus 2 existing stations)
• Cedar Hill Recreation Centre – 2 new stations (plus 2 existing stations)
• Cedar Hill Golf Course – 2 new stations (plus 2 existing stations)
• Gyro-Cadboro Park – 2 new stations
• Mount Douglas Park – 2 new stations
• Hampton Park – 2 new stations
• Beckwith Park – 2 new stations

Through its Zero Emissions Vehicle Incentive Program (ZEVIP), Natural Resources Canada provided a $100,000 investment to the District of Saanich for deployment and installation.

The existing stations have been available for residents at Saanich facilities since 2013.

Since then, there have been over 109,000 charging sessions, averaging over 12,000 sessions per year.

Saanich charges a $1/hour user fee for the charging stations to encourage turnover and cover the cost of maintenance and electricity.