Regional District of Nanaimo is awaiting word on whether it will receive money to set up electric vehicle charge stations across the region.
The RDN is lead applicant in the mid-Island for the Clean B.C. Communities Fund, providing cost-sharing for projects, including those that provide access to clean-energy transportation, and at the RDN committee of the whole meeting Tuesday, directors approved recommendations to relocate a station proposed for Huddlestone Park to Lantzville municipal hall and another from Errington Community Park to Parksville city hall.
Lantzville requested a location change due to “better servicing and expected improved usage,” according to a staff report, but Mark Swain, Lantzville mayor and director, said it was also done for purposes of damage prevention.
“One thing that’s not really indicated … it’s actually better visibility by moving it to the site beside the district hall,” Swain said at the meeting. “So that’s another reason why we wanted it moved from Huddlestone Park.”
The RDN board approved a motion in February, seeking to review the Errington park site. It was part of a capital improvement project that was delayed, according to a staff report, and the Parksville site met grant specifications.
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When asked by Ben Geselbracht, Nanaimo director, if there has been any indication from the B.C. government on progress, Kim Fowler, RDN manger of long-range planning, energy and sustainability, said information should be coming.
“We do have consultation with the province … in our regular correspondence with them, have asked for an update and we are told as part of the recovery programming coming out of the global pandemic for COVID-19, that this grant will be announced shortly and that’s the best we can hope for at this stage,” Fowler said at the meeting.
The B.C. Ministry of Environment told the News Bulletin COVID-19 affected government operations, but successful projects will be announced in late summer.
If given approval, the RDN would establish 10 stations in total, with the regional district responsible for $60,000 of the cost and the Clean B.C. fund providing $162,222.
The City of Nanaimo has set aside money for four stations at city facilities in a separate Clean B.C. application, stated a previous RDN staff report.
The recommendations will go before directors at their Tuesday, June 23 board meeting.
reporter@nanaimobulletin.com
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