It’s refreshing to see a government plan ahead.
All too often governments at all levels are more concerned with re-election within three or four years than they are with properly planning for the future of the communities they purport to represent. What it usually comes down to is a loathing to tell constituents that they’re going to spend money now, to set up for the future — a time when they may no longer be in office. It leads to a remarkably short-sighted crop of elected officials, who all too often must deal with constant (often very expensive) crises, because things have been let go too long.
Proper planning allows you to be more than just reactionary.
It’s this thinking that informs the debates about public transit and the rail corridor in particular.
But that’s a bit of a digression from the point of this editorial, which is that North Cowichan should be congratulated for their move to require new residential and commercial developments to install at the very least the capacity to put in electric vehicle charging stations at a later date. We hope, and predict, that some will simply put in the stations immediately.
Electric vehicle use is increasing at a high rate. Like it or not, the change is coming. Car companies are planning for it. Municipalities should be, too.
It only makes sense that new buildings be prepared to accommodate electric vehicles. As Mayor Jon Lefebure said during the council discussion, retrofitting is far more expensive, inconvenient and cumbersome. No doubt municipalities that don’t put in requirements such as this will be asked in the future why they didn’t do such a thing to make the eventuality go more smoothly. Those that must retrofit will be envious of those who’ve already done it.
We predict it could even be a selling feature for some builders.