District of Saanich launches new e-bike rebate program to help reduce greenhouse gas emissions - Action News
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British Columbia

District of Saanich launches new e-bike rebate program to help reduce greenhouse gas emissions

Residents can apply for the rebate online and receive up to $1,600 back depending on their income level.

Residents can apply for the rebate online and receive up to $1,600

A close up of an E-bike shows the motor fastened to the bike's frame that is used to assist riders when pedalling.
E-bikes are equipped with electric motors to assist riders when pedalling. (Shutterstock/moreimages)

Residents of Saanich, B.C., who are thinking about buying an electric bike maybe more likely to do so now thanks to a new rebate program designed to get more localsless dependent on their cars and more interested in cycling.

The District of Saanich's Community E-bike Incentive Pilot Program launched on Oct. 12 and offers three different rebatesfor residents who buy an e-bikeof $350, $800 and $1,600, depending on their income levels.

To qualify, the bike must be bought after Oct. 12, cost at least $1,800 and be for personal, not commercial use.

E-bike pricesstart around $1,600, with many in the $3,000-$4,000 range, and a survey of residents by the Capital Regional District showed cost was the biggest barrier for people who would otherwise consider riding one.

The district says it is the first B.C. municipality to create such an incentive program and is doing so for the planet's sake.

"We are doing this because Saanich is committed to taking climate action," said district Coun. Colin Plant, speaking to CBC's On The Island Wednesday.

Plant said district staff will be working with the University of British Columbia to see how effective the incentive program is at getting more people out of their cars and onto cycling paths.

Cycling path improvements

Those who do jump on the e-bike bandwagon may be happy to hear the Capital Regional District Board approved a proposal Wednesday to improvethe Galloping Goose Regional Trail between the Selkirk Trestle and Grange Road (adjacent to McKenzie Avenue) and the Lochside Regional Trail between the Switch Bridge and McKenzie Avenue/Borden Street.

In total, it is about 6.6 kilometres of trail through urban areas. The approximately $14 million project will include widening pathways to create separate lanes for cyclists and pedestrians, as well as improving lighting at key locations along the trails such as at junctions and underpasses.

Two bicyclists ride along the Galloping Goose Regional Trail, which extends 55-kilometres from Victoria to Sooke and also interstects with the Lochside Regional Trail. Sections of both are being upgraded with wider trails and better lighting. (Rick Snodgrass/GallopingGooseTrail.com)

Plant said the board will be reaching out to both the province and Ottawafor grant money to cover some of that cost.

"We are going to work with other levels of governments so it is not just being paid for by the regions' residents," he said.

An e-bike rider himself, Plant said one of the biggest issues on those trails right now is speed because the bikes can easily get up to 30 kilometres an hour and dividing the pathway will offer better safety protection for all.

To learn more about the Saaniche-bike incentive programand to apply for a rebate online, visit Saanich.ca/ebike.

With files from On The Island