Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada – Tuesday, May 4, 2004 – Carmanah Technologies Corporation (TSX Venture: CMH)
is pleased to announce that Vancouver, British Columbia, has become the first major Canadian city to install Carmanah’s i-STOP(tm) solar-powered, illuminated bus stops. TransLink, Vancouver’s public transit authority now joins more than 65 other agencies throughout North America and abroad that have installed Carmanah lighting technologies.
“This is a B.C. technology that has received worldwide recognition and we are proud to see our province’s largest transit agency picking it up,” stated Carmanah CEO Art Aylesworth. “Our intent since developing the first prototype for London, England, has always been to bring it back home to North America where there is a market in the order of a million bus stops.”
The Vancouver Regional Transportation Authority (TransLink) has installed i-STOP(tm) systems at bus stops in 17 areas of need throughout the city. TransLink will evaluate the system with an eye to future citywide purchases, based on customer feedback through 2004. For more information from TransLink, as well as a list of the 17 trial locations, visit the following link:
http://www.translink.bc.ca/Whats_New/News_Releases/news04290401.asp
Vancouver transit commuters at the I-STOP(tm) locations will now have the security of solar-powered down lighting in the bus waiting area. At selected stops, a backlit display also delivers easy-to-read timetable information and a customer-activated flashing beacon notifies bus drivers when there is someone waiting, enhancing service and eliminating pass-bys.
“These environmentally sound, passenger-friendly bus stops are a good investment in customer service,” said TransLink chair Doug McCallum. “Improving the transit experience will help more people make the decision to try the bus.”
The stops were quick and simple to install, requiring no digging or wiring to the city’s electrical infrastructure. The average cost of each bus stop is $1,750, compared to hardwired bus stop lighting costs of $2,500 to $8,000. The Carmanah bus stops will operate maintenance-free for several years, after which the recyclable batteries can be changed for continued performance.
About Carmanah
Carmanah is an award winning alternative energy manufacturer specializing in patented solar-powered LED lighting solutions for the transit, marine, aviation, roadway, railway and industrial worksite markets. The Company currently has more than 90,000 units installed in 110 countries. The shares of Carmanah Technologies Corporation (parent company) are publicly traded on the TSX Venture Exchange under the symbol “CMH” and on the Berlin and Frankfurt Stock Exchanges under the symbol “QCX”. For more information, please visit www.carmanah.com.
This release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of the “safe harbor” provisions of the U.S. Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These statements are based on management’s current expectations and beliefs and are subject to a number of risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those described in the forward-looking statements. These risks and uncertainties are described under the caption “Note Regarding Forward-looking Statements” and “Key Information – Risk Factors” and elsewhere in Carmanah’s Annual Report for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2003, as filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission and which are incorporated herein by reference. These risks and uncertainties are also described under the caption “Risk Factors” in Carmanah’s Annual Information Form dated December 31, 2003, as filed with the British Columbia Securities Commission and which are incorporated herein by reference. Carmanah does not assume any obligation to update the forward-looking information contained in this press release.