Victoria, BC has activated 12 public FLO electric vehicle charging stations as part of its long-term strategy for developing its EV infrastructure, and supporting EV adoption.
Michael Pelsoci, FLO Regional Sales Director for Pacific Northwest, stated that British Columbia is a leading jurisdiction in the shift towards clean energy and especially in expanding EV infrastructure. FLO is the largest EV charging network in Canada, and it has been growing rapidly. Our mission to promote EV adoption throughout North America has always been at our forefront. We are proud that we support Victoria, BC’s capital, in its efforts for expanding EV infrastructure.
On the fifth floor of view street parkade, you will find the 12 Level 2 public chargers. These chargers are for drivers who visit Victoria’s great restaurants and shops and who need to charge their cars while at work. They also support garage orphans (Victorians without a dedicated home charger who must leave their vehicles to charge overnight).
The cost of EV charging will be $0.25 per hour for drivers who use the parkade. This is due to the chargers’ use PowerSharing(tm), a network that allows them to share power. This feature will allow four EV chargers to share the power of each other’s electrical circuits. Sites with multiple charging stations can be set up to share power at the circuit breaker level. This is useful for sites without dedicated circuits.
Many buildings are now able to power-share.
Mayor Lisa Helps stated that by 2035, Canada will allow zero-emission vehicle sales. To meet this mandate, Canadians must have the infrastructure available to them. The City of Victoria is determined to provide Victorians with the EV-charging infrastructure they require in terms of affordability and quality. To achieve our goals and strategies, we are happy to collaborate with FLO, the reliable EV charging network.
In 2022, the City of Victoria will install more than 100 Level 2 chargers as well six Level 3 (DC Fast Chargers). The FLO chargers are installed at City parkades, curbsides, and in communities. The City has allocated $1.5 million to EV infrastructure as part of its 2022 budget. Additional funding is available from the Province of British Columbia, and the Federal Government.
The View Street parkade charging stations were funded in part by NRCan’s Zero Emission Vehicle Infrastructure Program for BC Public Charging Stations, in partnership with BC Hydro. BC Hydro received a $325,000 investment from NRCan to help install 65 Level 2 EV charging stations across British Columbia.