Ottawa will invest more than $84 million to add 8,000 electric vehicle charging stations across Canada, but the country still lags behind its needs for a full transition to electric cars.
Expanding Canada’s Charging Network
Federal funding aims to address range anxiety and affordability concerns, but significant gaps remain.
- Energy Minister Tim Hodgson announced the investment Tuesday on Parliament Hill.
- The funding will support 122 projects to build new charging stations.
- Canada currently has over 38,000 public chargers in nearly 14,500 locations.
- A 2021 analysis estimated the country needs 52,000 chargers by the end of 2025.
Energy Minister Tim Hodgson announced Tuesday that the federal government plans to add 8,000 electric vehicle (EV) charging stations to the existing network of over 30,000. The investment, exceeding $84 million, comes as part of a broader automotive strategy aimed at accelerating the adoption of electric vehicles across the country.
Hodgson, speaking alongside Environment Minister Julie Dabrusin and Transport Minister Steve MacKinnon, acknowledged that many Canadians are hesitant to switch to EVs due to concerns about cost and range. “Many Canadians want to opt for cleaner solutions, but they find electric vehicles too expensive or fear they will not have enough range to get where they need to go,” he said at a press conference.
The announcement also includes $7.2 million for 30 public awareness campaigns about electric vehicles and $5.7 million to help Canadian freight companies purchase low-carbon vehicles.
Joanna Kyriazis, director of policy and strategy at Clean Energy Canada, described the announcement as “great news,” adding, “It’s great to see the federal government building on the momentum created last week with the automotive strategy. It’s like we’re doubling down on the future of electric vehicles in Canada.” She emphasized that access to public charging stations is crucial for supporting the transition and fostering a strong EV market.
Charging Infrastructure Slowdown
Despite the new investment, the deployment of EV charging stations slowed in the past year. A total of 6,170 stations were built, compared to over 7,000 in both 2023 and 2024.
Kyriazis attributed this slowdown partly to uncertainty caused by Ottawa’s earlier pause on its electric vehicle sales requirement. “We had no idea what direction the government was going to take on electric vehicles. We looked at what was happening in the United States, where there was a significant pushback on all policies and programs related to electric vehicles, and I think the sector was scared,” she explained.
However, with the recent reaffirmation of Canada’s commitment to EVs and the establishment of a clear regulatory framework, Kyriazis anticipates a renewed surge in investment in charging infrastructure.
Currently, the majority of Canada’s charging infrastructure is concentrated in Ontario and Quebec, accounting for 67% of all charging ports. British Columbia has 20%, while Alberta has 5%.
What is the current number of public EV chargers in Canada? Currently, there are more than 38,000 public chargers spread across nearly 14,500 locations nationwide.
Last week, Prime Minister Mark Carney announced a $1.5 billion investment in EV infrastructure as part of revisions to the federal automotive strategy. This includes the reinstatement of the EV rebate program, offering up to $5,000 for eligible fully electric vehicles and $2,500 for plug-in hybrids, with rebates decreasing annually until 2030. Carney also announced a shift from mandatory EV sales targets to stricter emissions standards for the automotive sector.
