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Cook Street Village Activity Centre aims at different demographic. Community, Page A3
Victoria Cougars reclaim Jr. B Patterson Cup with a sweep of Peninsula. Sports, Page A20
Wednesday, March 28, 2012
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B.C. Transit restoring service hours on key routes No transit tax hike in store for taxpayers Erin McCracken
Springtime skimmer
News staff
clean-energy vehicles … into the mainstream market,” reads the Ministry of Environment’s request for proposals, which closed last week. “Appropriate government incentives and initial investment in charging/fuelling infrastructure will be instrumental in catalyzing the market.” Provincial funds will be distributed for 300 charging stations rated as Level 2.
Taxpayers in the Capital Region won’t be required to cough up extra money to cover B.C. Transit’s 2012 budget. The Victoria Regional Transit Commission approved a zero-per-cent tax increase thanks to higher transit revenues, gas-tax funding and measures to reduce fare evasion. But for many transit riders, the best news emerging from last Thursday’s budget discussion is the restoration as of April 1 of 7,000 service hours, cut last year to save money and address declining ridership in 2011-12. The No. 4, 14, 16, 21 and 26 routes, used by many University of Victoria and Camosun College students, will see a boost of 5,000 hours. This will help the problem of full buses passing by students waiting at bus stops for rides, said B.C. Transit spokesperson Meribeth Burton. “The next step … is to lobby B.C. Transit on where to put those hours so that they will best benefit students,” said Madeline Keller-MacLeod, an executive with the Camosun College Student Society. Users of the handyDART system will benefit from the other 2,000 added hours. Those wanting to use the system have had to sign up two weeks in advance in the past two months. The restoration of service hours was a highlight for new commission member, Victoria Coun. Marianne Alto.
PLEASE SEE: Charging stations, Page A4
PLEASE SEE: Transit budget, Page A7
Josh Korven gets some air time before meeting up with a log at Gonzales Beach. The spring weather Saturday attracted a group of skimboarders, families and sunbathers. Sunshine fans have little to cheer about today, however, as forecasts call for rain the rest of this week and into the weekend. Sharon Tiffin/News staff
Pitch made for plug-in power Electric vehicle supporter calls for more chargers Roszan Holmen News staff
Victoria needs to take advantage of new provincial money earmarked for electric-vehicle charging stations, says an advocate for the low-emission technology. “If the City of Victoria wants
to encourage more electric vehicles, then the city needs more charging stations,” said Cam Rawlinson, member of the Islands chapter of the Vancouver Electric Vehicle Association. Creating more stations would help promote the vehicles, he said, noting that similar facilities could be set up for users of electric bikes or mobility scooters. “These are all options that allow an aging population to become mobile and not to pollute,” he said. “The city right now probably has one-tenth of
the necessary stations in order to encourage people to adopt electricity as an alternate fuel to gasoline.” The province is currently seeking a private administrator to manage a $2.7-million Community Charging Infrastructure Fund. Municipal, regional and First Nations governments and institutions will be invited to apply for money to install charging stations until March 31, 2013. “It will take considerable time and strong policies to bring new
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