The City of Duncan will install a number of new charging stations for electric vehicles in the downtown core.
But the timelines are tight for the city as a grant left over from 2022 from its supplier, ChargePoint EV, to help pay for the charging stations has a deadline of March 31 for them to be installed.
The city currently has four electric-vehicle charging stations, located at 341 Trans-Canada Hwy., the parking lot at 225 Canada Ave. and two stations at 330 Duncan St.
Brian Murphy, the city’s director of public works and engineering, told council at its meeting on March 6 that staff believe that installing two new stations, that will add four new charging ports, on Duncan Street on either side of the two existing stations should be feasible within this time frame.
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He said that location is already set up for additional stations so, given the short timelines involved, staff believes it’s feasible to have them installed by March 31.
“If possible, we will also install a new station with two ports in the free parking lot on Canada Avenue, but that one’s a bit more complicated as it requires new electrical service by BC Hydro, so we don’t know if we’ll be able to get it done by March 31 but we’ll give it a go,” Murphy said.
“If the third station is not feasible at this time, staff will continue to look for a 2023 grant opportunity to complete that installation when feasible.”
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The city’s budget for installing the new stations will be $74,280 from gas-tax reserves that is already earmarked for them, along with the grant, which will cover 50 per cent of the cost of each station, from the supplier.
The city began charging user fees for its charging stations in October, which were free before, in an effort to help pay for increasing hydro bills, while also supplying a contingency for unexpected repairs and future equipment replacement.
Almost $2,000 in fees have been collected from October through to the end of January.
robert.barron@cowichanvalleycitizen.com
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