Ontario’s Minister of Energy, Todd Smith, has asked the Ontario Energy Board (OEB) to explore options for an Electric Vehicle Charger Discount Electricity Rate.
The province and the federal government are continuing to support the adoption of electric vehicles (EV), with Ottawa banning the sale of gas- or diesel-powered vehicles from 2035.
A new rate would reduce the cost of electricity for public EV chargers in areas where demand for the service is only beginning to emerge, making charging infrastructure more economical in more communities and giving Ontario drivers the confidence they need to transition to electric vehicles, said a provincial statement.
“With more than 150,000 electric vehicles already on the roads in Ontario, we’re continuing to look at new ways to increase the number of public chargers – including reducing electricity rates for chargers in areas where electric vehicle usage is just beginning to emerge,” said Minister Smith. “This is another step we are taking to give drivers in every part of our province, including rural Ontario, the confidence to transition to electric vehicles, and take advantage of our growing, world-class clean grid.”
Under existing rules, public EV charging stations in areas with low EV adoption rates can be expensive to operate as they experience sharp peaks in demand when an EV is charged, but they still incur costs when they are not used for most of the day. Electric vehicle charging stations predicted to have low utilization are either not built or operate at a loss, giving rise to charging accessibility concerns, said the statement.
A new electricity rate would support electric vehicle adoption across the province by reducing the electricity costs for charging infrastructure where demand is only beginning to emerge, making them more economical. Starting this month, the Ontario Energy Board will conduct public consultations on a new Electric Vehicle Charger Discount Rate with the intent of making the new rate available to public EV charging providers by January 1, 2026.
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