A new steering committee steps up to answer the region’s EV charging needs.
The popularity of electric vehicles is rising quickly among the environmentally conscious and the budget conscious. However, there is a big question for potential vehicle owners: “How will I charge my vehicle?” Fraser Health, Provincial Health Services Authority (PHSA), Providence Health Care (PHC), and Vancouver Coastal Health (VCH) are collaborating to answer this question.
In 2022, a regional steering committee was formed to develop an electric vehicle charging framework. This committee, sponsored by Scott MacNair, VP Business Operations with PHSA, is the first of its kind, directly addressing the need for a strategic approach to EV charging at all existing and future health-care facilities.
We’re excited to see what this committee can accomplish,” says Scott. “Their work is an essential part of our efforts to reduce our carbon footprint and promote sustainability across our health organizations.”
The committee was formed following a recommendation from the EV Baseline and Analysis completed by the Energy and Environmental Sustainability (EES) Team in 2021. Although each health authority had EV projects underway, lessons and opportunities were missed without proper collaboration and communication. The steering committee will bridge these gaps.
The committee has members with diverse expertise, including Facilities Maintenance and Operations teams from each health authority, EES, Fraser Health Asset Risk Quality Technical Services, VCH Projects and Planning, VCH Transportation Services, and Integrated Protection Services.
The committee has set ambitious goals, including developing a coordinated approach to EV charging across the health organizations, reducing barriers to EV ownership, and decreasing emissions that result from staff commuting to and from work.
The 2022 GreenCare survey (3,745 respondents) found that EV ownership increased by 10 – 13 % in 2021 across the four health authorities, and between 45 – 47% of staff who completed the survey plan to purchase an EV in the next five years.
Says Rob Bradley, Director of the EES team and co-chair of the new steering committee,
By addressing the need for EV charging infrastructure, the steering committee is helping to create a healthier, more sustainable future for everyone in the region.”
