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Employee e-bike loan pilot program

The UVic Employee E-Bike Loan Pilot Program is providing up to 100 eligible employees with an interest-free loan of up to $3,000 towards the purchase of an E-Bike. Loans will be re-paid over a 2-year period via payroll deduction, to cover the cost or partial cost of their E-Bike purchase.

The goal of the Employee E-Bike Loan Pilot Program is to further accelerate sustainable transportation options for commuting to campus and across the Greater Victoria area, by incentivizing the purchase of electric bikes (E-Bikes) as a lower carbon, renewable energy, and active transportation option.

Outside of the loan pilot program, all UVic employees can access offered discounts from participating suppliers by showing their ONECard as proof of employment. Scroll to the bottom of this page to find out more. 

The approval process

Update as of September 8, 2022: 

Pre-approval spots are now filled! Those who submitted after available pre-approval spots were filled will be notified via email. They will automatically be placed on a waitlist to be contacted again (in order) if any spots become available (e.g. if applicants do not meet the eligibility criteria/do not submit the required documentation and make their purchase within the 30-day window). 

All applications for pre-approval to the pilot will be accepted through a fillable online form, located .

After the pre-approval application period opens, submissions will be reviewed for eligibility on a first-come-first-served basis, while funds last. 

If you are eligible, you will receive a confirmation email indicating pre-approval and a Participant Agreement to sign, detailing terms and conditions of the pilot program. At this time, you will also be asked to complete a Pre-Use Survey to help evaluate the pilot. 

Helpful links: 

• Approval and Purchase Procedures
• Participant Guide
• Participant Agreement - Terms and Conditions
• Chrome River Instructions

Who is eligible?

Loans under this pilot program are available to UVic regular, continuing staff and faculty – while funds last. For employees that do not meet this criteria, the university has also arranged point-of-sale incentives with both preferred suppliers to offer program participants and UVic employees in general.

Purchasing your e-bike:

Confirmed participants will have the following options (within 30 days of confirmation):

• Purchase an eligible E-Bike from the supplier of choice and submit an expense claim via Chrome River for reimbursement; or
• Order an eligible E-Bike from a participating supplier and UVic will pay on your behalf (up to $3,000) directly to the supplier. If the E-Bike is more than $3,000, participants are responsible to pay the difference.

Expense claims and supplier invoices must be approved by Campus Security staff for processing. Payments will be deducted automatically from your pay on the last payroll of the month, over a 2-year period.

Eligible e-bikes

• Must be new, no used E-Bike sales
• Have a minimum 1-year warranty on all parts
• Meet the definition of “” in the BC
• Comply with all applicable laws, including but not limited to the Motor Assisted Cycle (MAC) Regulation:
  • Electric motor with power output rating not exceeding 500 watts
  • Not capable of propelling the cycle faster than 32 km/hr on level ground
  • Wheels 350mm or more in diameter
  • No more than 3 wheels in contact with the ground, and
  • Motor shut-off mechanism separate from the accelerator controller, that allows the driver to turn the motor on and off from a normal seated position while operating the MAC or prevents the motor from turning on or engaging before the motor assisted cycle attains a speed of 3 km/hr
  • Motor must disengage if the operator stops pedaling, an accelerator controller is released, or the brake is applied
  • Lights must conform to all applicable BC laws, including the requirements for a front white and a rear red light.
  • Brakes that comply with Section 5 of the Regulation.

Preferred suppliers

Under the pilot program, and have been identified as preferred suppliers and both have agreed to offer point-of-sale incentives not only for program participants but UVic employees in general.

Consumers are changing purchase preferences based on social responsibility, inclusiveness and environmental impacts. By adopting this pilot program, the university is facilitating and encouraging the purchase of E-Bikes by our employees and wish to support informed purchasing decisions.

The purpose of this list is to highlight suppliers that demonstrate sustainability leadership, a desire to improve, and that provide value in the quality, range of products, level of customer service, and cost savings for our campus community.

You are not required to purchase your E-Bike from these suppliers. However, for ease, UVic has already established procedures with them. The following sections provide detailed information on the incentives they have agreed to provide and a breakdown of how to go about selecting your E-Bike!

 Ride the Glide

 Surface 604

Additional e-bike suppliers

Participants are not required to purchase their E-Bike from the Preferred Suppliers – you may choose to order from any business in the Capital Region that sells and services E-Bikes, while meeting the program terms and conditions. UVic encourages all participants and employees to shop locally! The following additional suppliers are listed for the convenience of applicants to the pilot program and UVic employees; the list is not an endorsement of any particular supplier. 

Additional suppliers may choose to offer point-of-sale incentives at their discretion for UVic employees. 

If you are a local E-Bike supplier that would like to be listed on this page, please contact action@uvic.ca. 

• - 20% off all accessories on the day of purchase. 10% of all accessories for the next 365 days. All needed tunes and tweaks for the next 365 days are on the house/Brentwood Cycle. One full free tune-up at the end of the year.
• - 25% off all accessories with a bike purchase
•  - 25% off accessories with a new bike purchase, and a free year of tunes and adjustments.
• - For E-bikes - one additional accessory up to $100 in value. For accessories - one additional accessory up to $100 in value. Please mention the UVic deal in the order by replying back to the Order Confirmation Email. Free shipping until Sept. 4, 2022.
•  - 10% off all accessories purchased with E-Bike or E-Cargo Bike. 

Information for suppliers can be found here. Suppliers can complete a direct deposit form in advance.