Electric Vehicle Charging Infrastructure
EV Charging in Richmond
Richmond has public electric vehicle (EV) charging stations throughout the community so when you visit a City facility, you can charge your vehicle. EVs are an important component of a more sustainable Richmond, and supporting increased adoption of EVs through convenient access to charging stations is an important action in Richmond's Community Energy and Emissions Plan. EVs result in zero tailpipe emissions, reducing air pollution and greenhouse gas emissions. They are also much lower cost to operate, are fun to drive and offer a range of performance benefits compared to fossil-fuel powered vehicles.
Electric Vehicle Charging Stations Expansion Project
With the increasing adoption of Electric Vehicles (EV) the City of Richmond (City) has committed to providing sustainable solutions to users. In a collaboration with the Government of Canada, the City is expanding the public EV charging station network at 8 locations with a total of 20 charging ports. These will be operational in Fall of 2021.
In an effort to ensure our stalls will be useable by everyone, the City of Richmond is among the first municipalities in Canada that have designed the first EV stall at each location to be built to accessible standards. The stalls will not prohibit access to any users, they will simply be sized to accommodate all users.
Below is a list of all locations receiving stations:
- Steveston Tennis Courts - 2 ports
- West Richmond Community Centre - 4 ports
- Minoru Arenas - 4 ports
- South Arm Community Centre - 2 ports
- Hamilton Community Centre - 2 ports
- Britannia Shipyards - 2 ports
- Garden City Park - 2 ports
- Blundell Park - 2 ports
The funding allocations are as follows:
- Gas-Tax (Being renamed to Canada Community Building Fund) - $600,000
- Natural Resources Canada (NRCAN) - $100,000
- $700,000 total budget
Charging Station Usage Requirements
EV charging stations are not parking spots – they are designated for charging vehicles. To help promote prompt turnover to provide access to multiple vehicles and to support sustainable service as the City expands the number of stations, the City has the following usage requirements:
- Only EVs are permitted in charging station spots
- Vehicles must be charged and then moved (cannot be left parked in spot after charging is complete)
- Hourly fees* apply effective March 1, 2020 as follows:
| Level 2 Charging Station: - $2 per hour for first 2 hours - $5 per hour after 2 hours |
Level 3 DC Fast Charging Station: - $8 per hour (25 kW) - $16 per hour (50 kW) |
- * Hourly fees are based on cost recovery for operating the service.
EV Charging Station Locations
The following is a list of existing EV charging stations in Richmond, as well as those that are approved for installation in 2020/21 and planned for 2020/21 (pending budget approval).
Existing City-owned Public EV Charging Stations
| Station location & address | No. of ports (parking stalls) |
Type of station |
|---|---|---|
| City Hall 6911 No. 3 Rd |
2 | Level 2 |
| Firehall 1 6960 Gilbert Rd |
2 | Level 2 |
| Thompson Community Centre 5151 Granville Ave |
2 | Level 2 |
| Steveston Community Centre 4111 Moncton St |
2 | Level 2 |
| Cambie Community Centre 12800 Cambie Rd |
2 | Level 2 |
| Minoru Centre for Active Living 7191 Granville Ave |
4 | Level 2 |
Stations to be Implemented in 2020/21
| Station location & address | No. of ports (parking stalls) |
Type of station |
|---|---|---|
| City Hall 6911 No. 3 Rd |
1 | Level 3 |
| City Hall 6911 No. 3 Rd |
2 | Level 2 |
| Richmond Olympic Oval 6111 River Rd |
1 | Level 3 |
| Richmond Olympic Oval 6111 River Rd |
2 | Level 2 |
| King George Park 4100 No. 5 Rd |
1 | Level 3 |
| King George Park 4100 No. 5 Rd |
2 | Level 2 |
| Richmond Ice Centre 14140 Triangle Rd |
1 | Level 3 |
| Richmond Ice Centre 14140 Triangle Rd |
2 | Level 2 |
| Steveston Tennis Courts 4151 Chatham St |
2 | Level 2 |
| West Richmond Community Centre 9180 No. 1 Rd |
4 | Level 2 |
| Britannia Shipyards 5180 Westwater Dr. |
4 | Level 2 |
| Garden City Park 6620 Garden City Rd |
2 | Level 2 |
| Minoru Arenas 7551 Minoru Gate |
2 | Level 2 |
| South Arm Community Centre 8880 Williams Ave |
2 | Level 2 |
| Blundell Park 6468 Blundell Rd |
2 | Level 2 |
| Hamilton Community Centre 5140 Smith Dr |
2 | Level 2 |
Total number of ports (parking stalls) = 46
EV Charging Infrastructure Requirements for New Developments
In December 2017, City Council adopted an amendment to the Richmond Zoning Bylaw requiring that all new residential parking spaces feature an energized outlet capable of providing “Level 2” EV charging.
This requirement is explained in this Bulletin:
ENGINEERING-06 - EV Ready Construction Requirements
Resources to Support EV Charging in Residences
To assist developers, designers, property managers, and other interested organization implement EV charging in multifamily buildings and other building types, the City has published the following report with funding support from BC Hydro:
EV Charging Infrastructure in Shared Parking Areas: Resources to Support Implementation & Charging Infrastructure Requirements
To inform local government efforts to support EV charging at residences, the City also published the following guide with funding support from BC Hydro. This guide provides guidance on establishing EV charging infrastructure requirements for new developments, as well as supporting EV charging in existing residences.
Residential EV Charging: A Guide for Local Governments
Where Can I Learn More About EV Charging?
Households and businesses interested in implementing EV charging at home or at work should check out Plug In BC’s Charging Solutions and Incentives.