In a bid to encourage more people to purchase electric vehicles (EVs), the province is providing more funding for communities and local governments.
With gas prices on the Island and province rising, the government will be providing $118,000 through the Community Outreach Incentive Program (COIP) under a partnership with the Emotive outreach awareness campaign.
They say the goal is to support B.C. communities, organizations and governments to create campaigns with video production, EV events and demonstrations.
Funding from COIP has already been given to communities in B.C., including $13,000 to the Musqueam Indian Band. They say the funding will help them build videos to explain the health and environmental benefits of EVs.
They say this is necessary as climate change makes weather conditions worsen.
“Experiencing the adverse effects of climate change in recent years has made reducing on-reserve CO2 emissions a priority for Musqueam membership and administration,” said Ehsan Haghi, project lead and community energy specialist, Musqueam Indian Band. “The COIP funding enables the band to provide information to the membership about the cost of purchasing an electric car, the financial and environmental benefits of switching to an electric car and critical factors to consider when buying an electric car.”
The communities of Whistler and Squamish have also received funding for marketing. The province says funding from the Clean Transportation Targets and Planning (CTTP) pilot was also given to Whistler to expand its e-mobility strategy.
The province says this will help benefit many other communities in B.C.
“As more and more people make the switch to EVs in all parts of the province, everyone benefits from cleaner air and less pollution,” said Bruce Ralston, Minister of Energy, Mines and Low Carbon Innovation.
The B.C. government says the province is leading the country with EV sales with more than 60,000 light-duty EVs on the road.
FOR MORE INFORMATION OR TO APPLY FOR FUNDING, CLICK HERE.
