The Regional District of Nanaimo board will act as the principal applicant for grants for electric vehicle charging stations on behalf of mid-Island municipalities and regional districts.
In doing so, the RDN is now establishing an Electric Vehicle Charging Station Service Bylaw as well as a reserve fund bylaw. Each was read three times at the RDN board meeting on Oct. 27.
The RDN last September received a grant to install four level charging stations. They will be located at facilities in the regional district at Electoral Areas B, E, G and H. The stations are expected to be installed in 2021.
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However, electors from all four areas will be asked to submit a form to indicate if their opposition to the propose service bylaws via the alternative approval process that will be held on Feb. 15, 2021. In all four areas, there are 19,947 electors and the alternative approve process requires the RDN to receive less than per cent of the number of electors to allow the board to proceed to adopt Bylaws No. 1796 and 1797.
The new bylaws will require ratepayers via taxation to cover the ongoing operations ($8,278), the annual electricity costs ($5,240) and capital and maintenance reserve ($6,718) for a total annual cost of $20,236.
The allocation of the $20,236 within the participating electoral areas based on 2020 assessments are Area B ($3,870), Area E (($6,699), Area G ($5,888) and Area H ($3,779).
The new services needs to be in place no later than March 2021 to be included in the 2021 RDN financial plan.