BC's EV Charging Future
BC Hydro to Invest $700 Million, Tripling EV Charging Network by 2035
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Key Points
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CleanBC Go Electric Public Charger Program will invest about $18 million in new public fast chargers, with funding prioritized for Indigenous, rural and northern communities and for reducing wait times.
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BC Hydro’s current public charging footprint sits at 917 ports across 190 locations, with roughly 8,900 public charging ports province-wide and 2,317 of those being fast-charging ports.
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The plan incorporates the Electric Highway concept, aiming to place fast chargers about every 150 kilometres along major highways and travel corridors.
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BC Hydro CEO Charlotte Mitha underscored the ambition by calling the expansion 'one of the largest networks in Canada' and stressed that the goal is to give drivers confidence in fast, reliable charging wherever their journey takes them.
British Columbia plans to more than triple its public EV charging network, targeting 3,500 ports by 2035 — backed by a $700-million investment, according to CBC and Voice Online. The push would make it one of the largest public charging networks in Canada.
Right now, BC Hydro operates 917 charging ports at 190 locations across the province. That means adding roughly 2,500 new ports over the next decade — a major bet on electric vehicles becoming the norm for BC drivers, Prince George Citizen reported.
$700 Million to Build Hubs Along BC's Highways
The expansion will place fast chargers roughly every 150 kilometres along major highways — a concept BC Hydro calls the Electric Highway. New charging hubs will go up in urban centres, rural towns, and northern communities. Each hub will feature amenities like washrooms and digital signage, according to Voice Online.
Standard chargers at new sites will run at 200 kilowatts. High-demand locations will get ultra-fast 400-kilowatt chargers. Drivers will be able to pay by tapping a card or using plug-and-charge — no app needed. The goal is to cut wait times and make charging feel as simple as stopping for gas, CBC reported.
Rural and Indigenous Communities Get Priority Funding
A separate $18-million investment through the CleanBC Go Electric Public Charger Program will focus on fast chargers in Indigenous, rural, and northern communities. These areas currently have the fewest charging options, making long-distance EV travel difficult or impossible for many drivers, according to Energeticcity.ca.
Province-wide, there are about 8,900 public charging ports today. Of those, 2,317 are fast-charging ports. The expansion aims to close the gap between urban and remote areas, so drivers anywhere in BC can charge with confidence, Prince George Citizen reported.
BC Hydro CEO Calls It One of Canada's Largest Networks
BC Hydro CEO Charlotte Mitha framed the plan as a turning point for EV adoption. She called the expanded network "one of the largest in Canada" and said the goal is to give drivers "confidence in fast, reliable charging wherever their journey takes them," according to Voice Online.
Officials also pointed to BC's low electricity rates as a key reason to switch from gas. With global energy prices unstable, they argued that charging at home or at a BC Hydro station offers drivers a cheaper, more predictable cost than filling a tank, CBC noted.
What the 2035 Target Means for EV Drivers Today
The buildout will happen in phases over the next decade. Larger charging hubs will replace many smaller, single-port stops. Standardized site designs mean drivers will know what to expect at each location — same layout, same payment options, same speed tiers, Energeticcity.ca reported.
For drivers eyeing an EV but worried about running out of charge, the network expansion is meant to remove that fear. BC wants every major corridor and community covered before 2035 — turning range anxiety from a real barrier into a distant memory, according to Prince George Citizen.
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