news // 4 Incentives for electric car owners power up » Drivers could save thousands on an electric car Mercedes Deutscher Staff Writer eginning April 1, the BC Government will continue its initiative program for drivers buying electric and hybrid vehicles, and will be offering up to $6,000 to those who buy or lease clean energy vehicles. As an encouragement for buying clean energy vehicles, which are often more expensive :| than fuel-burning vehicles, the government is reducing the price. After filling out an application for the program, buyers can expect to see rebates ranging from $2,500, for electric vehicles with a smaller battery capacity, $5,000 for vehicles with a larger battery capacity, and $6,000 for vehicles that are run bya hydrogen fuel cell. In addition to the rebates, drivers who trade in a vehicle from the year 2000 or older may receive additional discounts on an electric vehicle, saving up to $8,250. The rebate is the result of a renewal of the Clean Energy : Vehicle (CEV) Program, which : : was introduced in late 20. The : : CEV program was an effort to : encourage drivers to buy clean : energy vehicles, and was put : into effect by the government : to help meet a goal of reducing : greenhouse gasses by 33 per : cent in 2020, and by 80 per : cent in 2050. The previous program also offered incentives : for purchasing electric vehicle : charging stations. The original CEV program : expired in 2014, after the : program had reached budget : limits. This revival of the CEV re ar : program has been extended : to March 31, 2018, or until : the program’s budget of : $10.6-million runs out. The Minister of Energy : and Mines, Bill Bennett, : explained the cost of the : program’s budget to the : Vancouver Sun. About Photo by David van der Mark via flickr ! : reducing emissions and : maintaining healthy air : quality.” theotherpress.ca : $7.5-million will go towards : giving rebates to those who : purchase clean energy vehicles. : In addition, $1.6-million will : be going towards installing : more car charging stations : at gas stations throughout : BC. The remainder of the : program budget will be : allocated to research, public : communications, and : commercial-fleet clean fuel : purchases. “British Columbians who : purchase electric vehicles : typically save about 75 per cent : on their fuel costs. That adds : up to $1,600 per year,” Bennett : said in an interview with CBC. Meanwhile, BC Environment Minister : Mary Polak stated in a press : release, “With transportation : representing 37 per cent of : total provincial greenhouse : gas emissions, clean energy vehicles are essential to Along with the CEV program, a non-profit society : by the name of Scrap-It is : offering rebates up to $3,250 : to drivers who are trading : in vehicles made in 2000 or : earlier. Meet your new DSU representatives » Karan Bains is taking on treasurer, while Pardeep Jaswal is a member-at-large Angela Espinoza News Editor Mi news -_ @theotherpress.ca On March 13, the winners of the 2015/16 Douglas Students’ Union (DSU) representatives committee were announced. While some members are returning from the 2014/15 committee, the Other Press new representatives, as well as returning reps taking on new roles. kK Bains, Treasurer Bains was previously on the DSU representative committee for 2014/15 as external relations coordinator (now helmed by Chris Budzynski). “To be honest, I didn’t really know what the DSU was when I got involved,” said Bains. A friend of Bains suggested the group to him as an opportunity to get more involved with student life at : Douglas College, “Ever since : then I’ve been involved with : the students’ union.” Bains has been a student : at Douglas for four years, balancing BPEC program : courses while playing on ; the Douglas Royals men’s : basketball team. Bains explained “time management” was necessary : for students who feel they may : be taking ona lot at one time. will be highlighting some of the = “Students can fit everything : into their schedule, but it’s tough,” said Bains. “You might : have to give up sleep or you might have to give up time with : your friends, but everything’s : manageable as a college : student. The biggest thing is : just being able to prioritize : what’s important for you.” On the subject of his new position at the DSU, Bains : explained some of the aspects : of his role as treasurer. “We : have a finance manager, so : I'll be working with her a lot, : going over the budget for the : following year. We're lucky to : havea high enrolment for our : college, so that means we get : a lot of money put towards : our students’ union fees, so we have a lot to work with.” : Bains added that funding ; towards events and campaigns : would be determined through : the budget, and that one of the current campaigns the : DSU would be focussing on : is the “Squash the Squeeze” movement, which seeks to : freeze tuition fees across : Canada. Bains stressed that building more of a community : at Douglas was also a priority : for him while working with : the DSU. “I want to get more involvement going on at David : Lam,” said Bains. “T feel like : that campus gets neglected a : little bit because a lot of the : reps that run fora position on : the students’ union are out of : New West, so this year it was : really important for us to have : a good mix of students [from : both campuses] ” Pardeep Jaswal, Member-at- : Large : Jaswal was recently elected : into one of the representative : committee’s three member- at-large positions, along with : Greg Teuling and Makailey Preston. Jaswal is a first-year : student at Douglas College, having moved from Prince : George, and is currently > enrolled in one of the science programs. Initially a member : of the Douglas Student : Ambassadors, Jaswal was : encouraged to join the DSU “ : by Karan Bains. “[Bains] particularly liked how I : associated at the events with : people at Douglas,” said Jaswal. “I help the execs with anything they need,” said : Jaswal. “If the execs are feeling : overwhelmed, I can attend the : meetings they can’t attend. “It means more interaction with students as well, asa : member. You can find mea : majority of the time tabling out : : in the [New West] concourse : talking to students.” Jaswal also noted that : over the 2014 holiday season, : “I organized a [charity] drive : for the homeless where I : encouraged students from Douglas to pitch in money : so I could buy gifts such as : shampoos, soap, socks, toques, : any basic necessities, wrapped them with the help of Tracy Ho : of the DSU, and handed them out in downtown Vancouver.” Like Bains, part of Jaswal’s : involvement with the DSU will include aiding with : campaigns, another one of : which Jaswal states is their transit referendum campaign. : Jaswal also hopes to see more : involvement on the students’ part with college life. “I hope to make college a better place, more than just : work,” said Jaswal. “Something : I personally want to do is : work with one of the schools, : maybe Byrne Creek or New : West Secondary, where we have : kids from their high school coming into Douglas College.” Jaswal added he hopes to see : a bursary created for new : students based on their work : ethic as well as positivity.