Accelerate Kootenays is a collaborative project that will strategically address the charging infrastructure gap across the Kootenay region in Southeast British Columbia. In Februrary, with our partners, we opened five electric vehicle Direct Current Fast Charging (DCFCs) stations in the region, connecting the West Kootenays to surrounding regions for electric vehicle (EV) travel.
FortisBC is a core funder of the Accelerate Kootenays initiative.
The sites will be owned and maintained over the long term by FortisBC as part of our commitment to supporting EV travel for BC residents. All West Kootenay stations were installed by Kootenay-based electricians.
The FortisBC-owned and operated stations connect the West Kootenay to the Okanagan and across Kootenay Pass to the East Kootenay and Alberta. Within each community, each station is also conveniently located to allow easy access to amenities like restaurants, shops and attractions.
The stations have been strategically sited in Greenwood, Christina Lake, Castlegar, Salmo, and Creston to ensure connected travel and charging options for drivers.
All are part of the broader Accelerate Kootenays initiative which will ultimately facilitate the installation of 13 fast chargers and 40 Level 2 chargers in communities across the Kootenays, resulting in over 1,800 kms of connected electric vehicle travel. The fast charging stations are critical infrastructure to allow electric vehicle drivers to travel to and through the region, and to facilitate increased adoption of electric vehicles locally.
The project was made possible by an unprecedented local collaboration led by the Regional Districts of the East Kootenay, Central Kootenay, and Kootenay Boundary and includes funding contributions from Columbia Basin Trust, Federation of Canadian Municipalities, B.C. Ministry of Energy and Mines, and FortisBC, with long-term in-kind support from BC Hydro.
The fast charging stations are critical infrastructure to allow electric vehicle drivers to travel to and through the region, and to facilitate increased adoption of electric vehicles locally.
