Vancouver May Impose $10,000 Annual Fee on Gas Stations without EV Chargers

According to a report by The Province, the Vancouver city hall has proposed a policy that could force gas stations and other parking lot owners to pay CAD $10,000 annually if they don’t install EV charging stations (via Tesla North).

Parks canada tesla

The new policy is aimed at pushing the rollout of EV charging stations in Vancouver, which led Canada’s electric vehicle registrations for much of last summer. In the report, city staff wrote, “There would be an incentive to invest in EV charging to avoid the higher annual license fee.”

The policy would force gas station businesses to have EV charging available in their parking lots by 2025, in order to avoid increased licensing fees.

In Vancouver, it costs $263 for a gas station business license and just $163 for parking lots. Currently, there are only two gas stations out of 66 that offer EV chargers. Clearly, this fee wants to change that.

According to city staff, estimated costs to install charging stations could amount to as much as $136,000 for gas stations and $100,000 for regular parking lots.

At a rate of $10,000 per year, it would take average businesses seven or eight years to recoup building costs.

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It's Me
It's Me
4 years ago

Such a brain dead idea. These gas stations are in the business of selling gas not electricity. Forcing them to take on huge extra expenses to operate a service that makes no money, ties up space and means long term maintenance is nonsensical.

We seem to be getting very accustomed to being told what to do in the name of “the common good”.

Why doesn’t Vancouver mandate that all city street parking spaces must have individual chargers, all city staff and officials must have publicly accessible chargers installed at their homes and all malls must install chargers at each parking spot?

Smanny
Smanny
Reply to  It's Me
4 years ago

Clearly you are not thinking ahead. A few gas stations in the US have already decided to add wind turbine generators, and some also went with Solar panels as well. Therefore offsetting the cost of charging an EV, and ultimately generating more profit for those gas stations in the long run. It doesn’t take a rocket scientist to figure out that those gas stations will be making a good profit while charging EVs.

Now if you are a gas station in Canada and are using hydro, then BC Hydro will be getting a large profit from those gas stations. However even a smaller gas station could put a few of the smaller and cheaper wind turbines on their property, to help charge EVs. Therefore generating a greater profit for those gas stations.

Try and think its_me, or look at what the rest of the world is doing, especially when it comes to charging tech. I know thinking has always been hard for someone like you.

It's Me
It's Me
Reply to  Smanny
4 years ago

LOL. So clueless.

At best, that’s great that those US stations chose to do what they chose to do. What does that have to do with forcing others to do something they don’t choose to do?

If you own a home, would you be ok if the government forced you to install a charger on your property, to make it accessible to the public and to cover the costs of running and maintaining it?

Do you and @nord take the same short bus in today?

Smanny
Smanny
Reply to  It's Me
4 years ago

Wow, you are the real clueless individual, especially when you think the Vancouver city should put in charging stations for every parking spot in the city. That is very dumb, and going to be very costly. Not to mention the cost to install all the hydro wires for each parking spot. Nevermind the price of each charging unit, and the amount of space that would be taken up on the sidewalks for each charging station. Wow, you are truly clueless. Right now you can fast charge a Tesla 3 in about 30 minutes, and that is from a really low battery state. I know because I own a Tesla model 3, and don’t ever like to charge the battery that low. So it’s anywhere from 25 minutes or less for a quick charge.

Even on Amazon you can purchase a 10,000 watt wind turbine for about $1200 CAD. You can buy a 14,000 watt power station for around $8,000 CAD on Amazon, and that comes with 3 solar panels. Plug that 10,000 watt turbine into that power station to keep up it’s charging potential, and now you can fast charge an EV. Need more charging potential, then buy more of those 10,000 watt wind turbines. If a gas station lays out $30,000, then they can charge two EVs simultaneously, and not use BC Hydro at all. Therefore each quick charge is 100% of the money to the gas station.

It's Me
It's Me
Reply to  Smanny
4 years ago

🤦‍♂️

Smanny
Smanny
Reply to  It's Me
4 years ago

That’s right slap your silly ignorant face. There is 22,000 parking spots in Toronto alone. Think about all the digging up for each spot, put down the hydro wires, fill it back up, with either pavement and/or cement. Run all those wires to 22,000 parking spots. You are truly a wing nut.

It's Me
It's Me
Reply to  Smanny
4 years ago

You honestly have no clue about what conversation you’re having, do you?

Are you usually this confused? Did your care takers take the day off?

Smanny
Smanny
Reply to  It's Me
4 years ago

You said : “Why doesn’t Vancouver mandate that all city street parking spaces must have individual chargers, all city staff and officials must have publicly accessible chargers installed at their homes and all malls must install chargers at each parking spot?”.

The city has to pay for each charging station as well as pay to have all the hydro brought to each parking spot within the city. Now I don’t know how many parking spots are in Vancouver city. But I do know that there is 22,000 parking spots in the city of Toronto. I would say that it’s going to cost maybe $30 to $45 thousand per parking spot for each charging station. If it’s $45 thousand per parking spot, then the city of Toronto has to get around a billion dollars for that project.

Now we didn’t get into the parking spots that only allowed to be used at certain times of the day or week throughout the cities. Plus we didn’t get into the amount of space that these would take up on the sidewalks. The maintenance costs, and more. Think about it, well I always say thinking is really hard for someone like you. But today there is no gas at any parking spots today, and none is needed. Why? Because gas stations handle lots of customers. Sure they can fill up a vehicle with gas in a few minutes. Where as EVs take longer. I get it, but the parking spots at gas stations are mainly empty, so if gas stations put chargers at those gas station parking spots. Then you don’t need to put chargers at each parking spot throughout the city. There is no need for that stupid endeavor that you came up with.

It's Me
It's Me
Reply to  Smanny
4 years ago

It must be a crippling handicap not to recognize such blatant sarcasm.

Now, you’ll notice (actually, maybe you can’t) that I never argued against the merits of installing a charging station or not. I criticized the decision to force owners to install them on their property, at their expense, or face thousands in fines.

But, as always, the point of the conversation went way over your head. If you can’t follow a simple conversation, best for you to stay quiet.

Now, why haven’t you installed a wind turbine and EV charger on your property for the public to use? You seem to think you’d have a real money maker.

Smanny
Smanny
Reply to  It's Me
4 years ago

First of all I know you well enough, and that was not sarcasm from you. Especially when your first sentence was “Such a brain dead idea. These gas stations are in the business of selling gas not electricity. Forcing them to take on huge extra expenses to operate a service that makes no money, ties up space and means long term maintenance is nonsensical.”.

So once again you can dance around and say this is what I said, or this is what I meant. But I know, and you know, and most of the people on this site know what kind of individual you really are. I personally have caught you in too many lies to even count. But you also know that you continue to try and twist words, or change the subject matter.

Now at the end of the day, when you said “Forcing them to take on huge extra expenses to operate a service that makes no money, ties up space and means long term maintenance is nonsensical.”. Only proves that you don’t know what you are talking about. To charge a Tesla model 3 at home costs me $5 over night. Now to go to a quick charger it costs around $15-$25. Think about that for a moment. That is electricity that a gas station can charge, and make money. Especially if that gas station augments their electricity bill, by using wind turbines and power stations. Oh, and most gas stations have separate parking for customers that want to buy cigarettes, gum, pop, coffee, lottery tickets, oil, wind shield fluid, and more. Also there has been talks of Ontario gas stations going to start selling beer and wine as well in the future. Like they do in Quebec. Now the beer and wine is off topic, but it is one more thing that could entice people to shop more at gas stations. Just like filling up a vehicle with electricity, is one more thing to entice customers to go to your gas station.

It's Me
It's Me
Reply to  Smanny
4 years ago

So, you thought it was a serious suggestion, in the same sentence, that all city staff be forced to install chargers for public use?

You really aren’t even pretending to be this dumb, are you? It would be funny if it wasn’t so tragic.

clee666
clee666
4 years ago

But we can’t even buy EV’s. Waiting list is 3 years for a Toyota RAV4 Prime.

Porter
Porter
Reply to  clee666
4 years ago

There are other manifacturerss, Tesla waiting lists is way shorter (2-3 months)

Porter
Porter
Reply to  clee666
4 years ago

There are other manifacturerss, Tesla waiting lists is way shorter (2-3 months)

SOB
SOB
Reply to  clee666
4 years ago

The problem right now that there are no decent electric cars in the $25K to $30K range. That is the range where most people buy cars. Once car manufactures start producing EV’s at those price points then sales of EV’s will take off. We are not there yet but it will happen eventually.

Andrew
Andrew
4 years ago

BC politicians seem to have minds of their own. They have their own little bubbles. I am all for EV and saving the planet. But you can’t force businesses to put up something that they didn’t intend to sell. It’s like you are forcing a hot dog stand to sell sushi.

It's Me
It's Me
Reply to  Andrew
4 years ago

Re: forcing hotdog stands to sell sushi, with the current wisdom being that eating meat causes global warming, I would not be surprised at a mandate that requires them to sell only vegetable based hotdogs.

Porter
Porter
Reply to  Andrew
4 years ago

Then they NEED to pay the tax.

Also, you’re not “all for EV and saving the planet” if you bs like that, because you simply don’t understand why it’s being proposed at all. Also I bet you don’t have an EV…
To enforce the EV adoption it is a good decision to enforce installations of EV chargers everywhere across BC.

It's Me
It's Me
Reply to  Porter
4 years ago

What BS did he post? What tax are you even talking about? It would be a fine for not installing $100k public chargers on their property.

To enforce the EV adoption it is a good decision to enforce installations of EV chargers everywhere across BC.

So, of course you’ve paid to install a charger for 24hr public use on your property, right?

Andrew
Andrew
Reply to  Porter
4 years ago

Government can install chargers themselves in public city spaces if they wanted. But obviously nothing is free and those installations and equipment charge would be coming from tax payers. Great! We don’t have enough tax in the first place.

Even if the gas stations were willing to install those chargers, do you think they won’t find a way to recoup the cost? They definitely won’t wait 7-8 years like the article stated.

Oh I have 2 EVs and a garage with 240V charger professionally installed so I have no problem charging my cars. 🙂 Maybe you should have one install too if you could.

db
db
4 years ago

Forcing anyone to do anything is not the best way to accomplish change.

If this government really wants people to switch over to EVs, then make them more appealing – its that simple.
Until they are as affordable and conducive to everyday living, it won’t happen.

Beating Canadians over the head with more taxation will only create more animosity with politicians.

Smanny
Smanny
4 years ago

Since gas vehicles are the biggest pollution contribution on this planet. Then we need to really start penalizing gas vehicles, period. But at the same time put in place more EV chargers in Canada. The first place that needs them is gas stations.

It's Me
It's Me
Reply to  Smanny
4 years ago

Why should gas stations be the first place? The one place no EV owner ever needs to be is at a gas station.

If you own an EV, then you are much more likely and more frequently to be at a convenience store, mall, post office, coffee shop, pharmacy, optician, drs office, your psychologist, supermarket or passport office. Why would the first place be the only place no EV owner would ever otherwise visit within the city?

Smanny
Smanny
Reply to  It's Me
4 years ago

Do you even own a vehicle? Gas stations carry more than just gas. They carry lots of items, including wind shield fluids, wipers, coffee, drinks, treats, chips, lottery tickets, and a lot more. Some even have car washing facilities, some even do oil changes, or change tires. The vast majority of gas stations will even fill up your tires with air, for a fee.

Here is something you didn’t know, some gas stations in the US are now charging EVs in the parking spaces at their gas stations. Wow, what a concept, and they are charging money for it as well. EVs are here to stay, and they are going to become even more prevalent as time marches forward, than gas powered vehicles. So it would make sense for a gas station to install chargers. That way EV apps will know about those gas stations, and will travel to them. You must be against EVs.

It's Me
It's Me
Reply to  Smanny
4 years ago

All of those things are available elsewhere, generally at a lower price, higher quality with better service. If you’re still driving your EV to a gas station to buy your meals, you need to reevaluate your life choices.

For an EV owner in the city, literally every other location is more convenient than a gas station for charging, given it’s the only place an EV owner never needs to visit. Forcing grocery stores would much make more sense, if forcing anyone makes any sense. Everyone buys groceries (aside from you apparently).

Again, it’s great if gas station owners are choosing to install chargers. Are you really so dumb that you think explaining that some are doing it voluntarily is somehow an argument in support of mandating it? I mean, even for you that is dumb, but you’ve repeatedly done it.

When you post, you should try to stop and think first. You keep making a fool of yourself. Now, say something dumb…

Spittt
Spittt
Reply to  It's Me
4 years ago

Gas stations are easy to spot like on the 401. Shopping mall parking lots not so much. It would give a lot of potential EV buyers more confidence in making the jump with a law like that, knowing you can go anywhere on any highway and not have to plan your route ahead of time.

It's Me
It's Me
Reply to  Spittt
4 years ago

Outside of the city, the make sense.

Within the city, where most people spend most of their time, which is what’s being discussed, can you think of any place an EV owner is less likely to be on any given day? Anywhere less practical, therefore, for EV chargers?

Spittt
Spittt
Reply to  It's Me
4 years ago

Yes, it would be a *major* factor driving adoption of EVs if all highway gas stations would be required to have EV chargers. I would not care so much about city stations as long as Apple Maps for example shows me where they are located

It's Me
It's Me
Reply to  Spittt
4 years ago

Any yet this is about forcing city gas stations to pay to install chargers.

Literally the last place in the city an EV owner is going to be is not the best place to install chargers.

Spittt
Spittt
Reply to  It's Me
4 years ago

Gas stations are easy to spot like on the 401. Shopping mall parking lots not so much. It would give a lot of potential EV buyers more confidence in making the jump with a law like that, knowing you can go anywhere on any highway and not have to plan your route ahead of time.

Smanny
Smanny
Reply to  It's Me
4 years ago

The only dummy here is you. Why do you hold such a stance that gas stations need to die? When they are on the main roads and streets of cities. Plus they currently offer many things for cars, including EVs. Sure you can shop around and get cheaper washer fluid for your car, or even get a better price on some wipers if you shop around. Maybe they shouldn’t charge for the air you pump into your tires? But let’s not forget some gas stations sell Tim Hortons coffee, and donuts, and some even sell BBQ chicken, and some have turned into your neighborhood convenient store. But hey, maybe you want every convenient store to close up? Because they don’t have the best prices. Maybe kids should get their big gulp drinks somewhere else, or maybe they should get their ice cream treats somewhere else as well. Maybe gas stations should stop selling lottery tickets, or and for sure gas stations shouldn’t have cash machines in your eyes.

Come on, the one human being in these posts that should STFU is you its_me. Because you are a fool.

It's Me
It's Me
Reply to  Smanny
4 years ago

Are you drunk? You’re making even less sense than yesterday and yesterday I was almost certain you were trying to say only dumb things.

You reply without having any idea what you’re replying to. Honestly, you’re one of the dumbest people. Why?

SOB
SOB
Reply to  Smanny
4 years ago

If I had an EV, I would probably have a charger at home. So I wouldn’t see a need to go to local gas stations. The only thing might be for car washes and putting air in tires.

BeaveVillage
BeaveVillage
4 years ago

How is a gas station supposed to make any money at all from electric vehicle charging? Ridiculous.

timberwolf
timberwolf
4 years ago

Wow. This is just so incredibly dumb. Imagine an ev owner having to pull into a gas station of all places. Only to sit in their vehicle for an hour or more to wait for it to charge while everyone else spends 5 minutes to fill up the tank with gas, making the station 0 money.

I think we really need to set our priorities….oh, wait, electric vehicles are the future, even if most Canadian climates will destroy a Tesla in a few years and heat pumps will fail. No big deal, charge the owner when it’s out of warranty. Only the rich can afford EVs. I really want to see how all of these do in 3 years.

The sensible thing here would be to put chargers in more malls, grocery stores. After all, 20 minutes running into the store means you can charge your vehicle while actually accomplishing something instead of sitting for a ridiculously long time to charge.

Typical Vancouver, I guess. Montreal will be next.

clee666
clee666
Reply to  timberwolf
4 years ago

We don’t need it in Montréal, we have street chargers everywhere.

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