Pollution Probe and Mobility Futures Lab data highlight frustrating differences in billing, costs and experience across the country

As adoption for EVs in Canada grows, the need for a consistent and transparent public charging price model is becoming increasingly urgent, according to a new report by Pollution Probe, a non-profit environmental organization, and Mobility Futures Lab, a consulting firm specializing in sustainable transportation.

The study, Public EV Charging in Canada: Evolving Pricing Practices and User Experience, finds that public EV charging varies widely by price, payment and billing methods from province to province, and even within individual provinces. This lack of consistency can be confusing and frustrating, especially for EV owners who rely solely on public charging stations. 

Identifying the problems

The report builds on earlier research conducted by Pollution Probe in 2024, Canadian Electric Vehicle Charging Experience Survey. When respondents were asked whether they agreed with the statement: “The pricing of public EV charging is consistent across different locations,” a significant majority disagreed: 46 per cent of Quebec drivers, 67 per cent in B.C., 70 per cent in Ontario and 78 per cent in the rest of Canada.

“One of the reasons we did this report was actually to see what the issues are and point out to what the situation is across the country with various operators,” Steve McCauley, senior director of policy at Pollution Probe, told Electric Autonomy. “One of the big reasons that we’re not regulating at this stage is that we still need to know the extent of the problem … that if industry can prevent any huge inconsistencies in pricing across the country, then government doesn’t need to step in.”

The report identifies multiple contributing factors behind Canada’s fragmented EV charging pricing landscape. One key issue is that some chargers bill customers by energy – per kilowatt-hour – while others bill by time, a practice that disadvantages drivers of slower-charging vehicles. Energy-based pricing is further influenced by provincial electricity rates and, in some cases, time-of-use pricing. 

The difference of large and small networks

Charging network structure also plays a role. Centralized, utility-backed networks, such as Circuit Électrique in Québec, operate a large network of Level 2 (L2) and DC Fast Chargers (DCFC). This allows them to manage electricity rates and distribute costs across a broad network. 

Similarly, automaker-backed networks, such as Tesla’s Superchargers, and fuel or retail-integrated networks, such as Shell Recharge, benefit from centralized pricing strategies, even if they do not directly control energy rates. 

By contrast, non-centralized, site-hosted networks, which are predominantly L2 chargers, are typically owned and operated by individual businesses, municipalities or property managers. These networks are generally smaller in scale and more variable in pricing and billing practices. 

Provincial energy prices, local regulations and utility policies further complicate the picture.

Unlike gas stations, where pricing is displayed prominently on roadside signage, EV charging prices are often difficult to access in advance, sometimes available only through proprietary apps.

What needs to be done

The report outlines seven key recommendations aimed at making public charging costs more fair, consistent and transparent: 

• Cooperation between governments, utilities and charging operators to align public charging practices, including a shift toward kWh-based billing 
• A coordinated review with provinces and their utilities on current rate structures, demand charges and other EV charging-related costs 
• Greater cooperation between federal and provincial governments to standardize energy and charger regulations
• Adoption of a dual-track strategy for L2 and DCFC infrastructure
• Streamlined government funding and permitting for L2 deployment for site-host networks
• A stronger focus for DCFC funding on larger, centralized networks, such as utilities and automakers
• Implementation of a national monitoring system to track station pricing, reliability and performance.

McCauley acknowledges that the more immediate priority remains building out Canada’s EV charging infrastructure, especially in underserved areas. Still, he argues that planning for consistent pricing in parallel is critical to improving the overall charging experience.

“I don’t think this is a crisis, because … we’re making a lot of progress in rolling out EV charging in a very short period of time,” said McCauley. “But it makes sense that, as you build the network, you put in place [a] system, whether that is self-regulation, [government] regulation or other codes of practice. There are all kinds of things that you can do to encourage fair, consistent, transparent pricing for public charging across the country.”

The report also introduces ChargeCompare, a new tool that provides province-by-province EV charging cost and service information, aimed at helping drivers better understand and compare their public charging options..