The Province and BC Hydro are working together to expand British Columbia’s public electric vehicle charging network, with plans to nearly triple the number of charging ports across B.C.
“As conflicts overseas increase pain at the pumps here at home, more British Columbians are switching to electric vehicles,” said Adrian Dix, Minister of Energy and Climate Solutions.
“By dramatically expanding access to electric vehicle (EV) charging, we’ll help make it easier to choose a car that cuts pollution and saves families money every time they get behind the wheel.”
BC Hydro’s public fast-charging network includes 917 charging ports at 190 locations in the province.
BC Hydro is deploying 3,500 new public charging ports by 2035 to support the province’s growing number of electric vehicles and meet increasing demand for public charging.
Supported by a $700-million investment, the expansion will more than triple the size of the network and strengthen BC Hydro’s role as B.C.’s leading provider of public charging.
Over the next decade, BC Hydro will add new charging hubs in communities throughout the province, along major highway corridors and in high-demand urban centres.
The expansion will provide more charging capacity in communities throughout B.C., supporting long-distance travel and helping keep pace with growing EV adoption in the province.
The next phase of the network will introduce a new generation of fast-charging hubs designed around reliability, consistency and customer convenience.
BC Hydro will also deploy larger charging sites in strategic locations to meet growing demand and reduce wait times during peak travel periods.
“British Columbians are adopting electric vehicles at one of the fastest rates in North America, and we’re building the charging network needed to support that growth,” said Charlotte Mitha, president and CEO, BC Hydro.
The network expansion will include several new features designed to improve performance and customer convenience, such as:
- standardized site designs that improve reliability, accessibility and the overall customer experience
- new signature sites in strategic locations will offer enhanced amenities, such as washrooms
- new showcase sites will offer best-in-class charging experiences, such as canopies and digital signs
- faster, future-ready charging technology, with 200-kilowatt chargers becoming the network standard, 400-kilowatt ultra-fast chargers introduced at select high-demand locations and continued exploration of innovative charging technologies that keep pace with rising customer expectations and the growing capabilities of EVs entering the market
- enhanced customer features, including plug-and-charge capability and tap-to-pay functionality
The expansion builds on BC Hydro’s work in public fast charging. Together with the Province, BC Hydro helped complete B.C.’s Electric Highway, creating a provincewide network of fast chargers located approximately every 150 kilometres along major highways and travel corridors.
EV drivers can travel throughout BC with confidence, knowing reliable fast charging is available in communities throughout the province and along key transportation routes.
In addition to BC Hydro’s 3,500 public charging ports, the Province is helping businesses, non-profit organizations, Indigenous communities, local governments, utilities and public-sector organizations expand B.C.’s charging network.
Applications are open for the CleanBC Go Electric Public Charger Program, which will invest approximately $18 million in new public fast chargers, with a focus on Indigenous, rural and northern communities, as well as high-demand areas where drivers face long wait times.
To learn more about BC Hydro’s public charging network, visit: https://bchydro.com/fastcharging
Information for the CleanBC Go Electric Public Charger Program can be found here.
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