Vancouve Sun has article:
Long waits for EV chargers may delay Vancouver's deadline for gas stations
Gas stations and parking lots in Vancouver face a $10,000 increase in business licence fees if they don't install EV charging.
Author of the article: Glenda Luymes Published Jun 21, 2024
https://vancouversun.com/news/local-...elays-deadline
Reference City Council Report:
https://council.vancouver.ca/20240625/documents/r3.pdf
"In May 2022, Council approved changes to the Zoning and Development By-law and the Licence By-law to encourage the installation of EV chargers at gasoline stations and large commercial parking lots through business licence fees. As a result, a number of owners are proceeding to install publicly accessible EV chargers on their sites. However, several stakeholders in the process of installing EV charging have expressed concerns about challenges outside their control that are making it difficult to complete installations in time for 2025 licence renewals. In response to these concerns, this report recommends delaying enactment of the business licence changes from January 2025 to January 2026.
...Starting in January 2025, commercial parking lots (with at least 60 parking stalls) and gas stations that provide a specified amount of EV charging will continue to pay a relatively low annual business licence fee (currently about $340 for gas stations and $250 for auto parking lots). Gas stations and parking lots that do not install the specified amount of EV charging will be subject to a $10,000 annual business licence fee.
Business owners have encountered delays in completing the electrical work due to volume both with BC Hydro and City of Vancouver as well as supply chain issues for equipment procurement due to high demand for this equipment. In combination, these factors are resulting in wait times up to 18 months.
At present, there are 66 gas stations and 453 commercial parking lots (approximately 50% of which have at least 60 parking stalls) licensed to operate in Vancouver"
Summary:
- City trying to get EV chargers at all gas stations and parking lots of a certain size or larger
- Project likely delayed due to complexity involved with installing service [BC Hydro] and, with at least some irony, the city itself. We are familiar with project delays.
- A gas station closing is still a news story, and many freak out. However, there are still
sixty-six operating gas stations in the City of Vancouver alone...