The bill would establish a $125 fine for blocking an electric vehicle charging spot. But some argue it won’t accomplish nearly enough

A proposed bill in the Ontario legislature that would make blocking an electric vehicle charging station a ticketable offence is once again moving towards enactment.

Bill 123, having garnered support from the Progressive Conservative party as well as Green Party of Ontario leader Mike Schreiner, received second reading on Nov. 28.

“Charging stations are more than a convenience for electric owners; they’re a necessity.”

MPP Lorne Coe

As originally reported by Electric Autonomy Canada and recently updated by Electrek, Bill 123 was first introduced as a private member’s bill by MPP Paul Calandra in June. Following Calandra’s promotion to cabinet as Government House Leader, however, the bill required a new backer.  

Last week, it was reintroduced in a collaboration between Schreiner and Progressive Conservative MPP Lorne Coe.

Chargers a necessity

“Current electric vehicle owners have found it incredibly frustrating to arrive at a high-speed charging station only to discover a vehicle parked in that charging space — a vehicle not connected to the charger,” argued Coe. “We must remind ourselves that charging stations are more than a convenience for electric owners; they’re a necessity.”

“I want Ontario to be a part of leading the electric vehicle revolution that is sweeping the world.”

MPP Mike Schreiner

Schreiner followed, adding, “I want Ontario to be a part of leading the electric vehicle revolution that is sweeping the world. I believe that Bill 123 is an important, albeit small, step on the road to making sure that Ontario is ready for the electric vehicle future.”

Several members took issue with the limited range of the bill, as well as with Schreiner’s alliance with a party which thus far has mostly withdrawn support for electric vehicles.

Bill’s “tokenism” criticized

New Democratic MPP Peter Tabuns accused Schreiner of “giving credibility to a government that has been engaged in a war on the environment.” Fellow NDP MPP Ian Arthur said that while he would support the bill, he was “struck by the tokenism of this piece of legislation… This needs public money, this needs infrastructure spending, this needs everything thrown at it, and this bill will do nothing to help that.”

The bill was referred to the Standing Committee on Regulations and Private Bills for further review and amendment.