The Halifax Regional Municipality (HRM) is considering an EV strategy to lower greenhouse gas emissions. According to municipal officials, transportation accounted for 20% of the city’s emissions as of 2016.
The environment committee heard the details of the proposed strategy earlier this week.
The strategy, which Kevin Boutilier, a clean-energy specialist, presented to the committee, calls for the construction of 1,100 EV charging stations over the next ten years.
The strategy suggests charging ports along highways, downtown locations and regional recreational centres.
Halifax Transit goes electric with plans to purchase 60 electric buses
It also notes that apartment complexes will need to be considered as 10% of HRM residents live in an apartment, and current planning rules do not require developers to include EV charging.
Adding 1,100 chargers to the HRM would cost the municipality around $23 million by 2030. The municipality has already applied to the Government of Canada for funding.
In addition, the strategy also calls for the municipality to replace its fleet of light-duty vehicles with EVs by 2030. There are 550 vehicles in the fleet, and the replacement cost would total around $27.8 million.
The environment committee endorsed the strategy. So, the next step is for the Halifax Regional Council to approve it to move it forward, reports CBC.
There is no timeline as of yet for the approval at Council.
