B.C. doubles rebate for electric vehicle chargers and installation costs

The provincial government has made it cheaper to buy and install electric vehicle charging stations by doubling the rebate amount through its CleanBC's Go Electric EV Charge Rebate and EV Ready programs.

Homeowners can now get a rebate of up to 50 per cent off the purchase and installation costs for eligible chargers up to a maximum of $700.

Workplaces and condominium residents can also receive a 50 per cent rebate up to a maximum of $4,000 per charger.

"B.C. has the strongest uptake in electric vehicle adoption across Canada, and we're positioning ourselves to become leaders in the EV industry," said Bruce Ralston, Minister of Energy, Mines and Low Carbon Innovation, in a release.

"We're making it easier and more affordable for people to make the switch to electric vehicles."

As installing chargers at workplaces or condominiums can seem like a big commitment, the CleanBC program says it's also offering up to five hours of free support services from an EV charging station advisor to help get the process started.

"Making electric vehicles more affordable is good for the climate, helps people and supports businesses looking for ways to reduce costs and pollution," said George Heyman, Minister of Environment and Climate Change Strategy.

It's also a step toward meeting the government's zero-emission vehicle act, passed in May 2019, which requires all new light-duty vehicles sold in B.C. to be zero-emission by 2040.

Last year, B.C. announced that there were more than 31,000 electric vehicles across the province — and EV sales in B.C. were the highest per capita in all of North America.