EV fast charge stations approved for Okanagan-Shuswap

Mar 25, 2021 | 3:13 PM

Good news if you own an electric vehicle and want to zoom around B.C.

A federal infrastructure program has awarded millions of dollars to a variety of government and private companies for charging stations.

Approval has been granted to Tesla for 78 electric vehicle (EV) fast-charging stations worth $3,090,000 for several B.C. communities, including Vernon, Salmon Arm and Osoyoos.

Tesla Canada ULC made the application through phase two of the federal Electric Vehicle and Alternative Fuel Infrastructure Deployment Initiative.

Vernon will get 16 charging stations at 2200 58 Avenue on the Walmart property.

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Salmon Arm will receive 11 docks at 2701 11 Avenue North East in the Askew Foods Plaza.

Osoyoos also gets 11 charging spots on the outskirts of the downtown at 8513 74 Avenue.

Castlegar, Cranbrook, Creston, Fernie and Prince George will also receive fast charge stations under the Tesla application.

Fortis B.C. will get $700,000 for a dozen stations, including four in Kelowna, including two at Kelowna International Airport.

Canadian Tire will put two stations each at their stores in West Kelowna and Penticton.

An application under the same program from B.C. Hydro will see 70 additional stations across the province with a contract value of $3,500,000.

The B.C. Ministry of Transportation and Infrastructure was awarded $1,303,000 for 26 fast and six level two charging stations, along different provincial highway routes.

Several municipalities and private businesses were also successful under phase two of the program which will create a web of fast charge and level two charge stations across the province.

Fast chargers are capable of delivering full range charges in less than an hour, and sometimes in a matter of minutes. Level two chargers can take a couple of hours to recharge a vehicle.

by Kevin Rothwell

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