British Columbia is planning a major expansion of its public electric vehicle charging network, with northern, rural and Indigenous communities expected to benefit from new infrastructure over the next decade.
BC Hydro announced plans to deploy 3,500 new public charging ports by 2035, more than tripling the size of its existing network and supporting the growing number of electric vehicles on B.C. roads.
The expansion is backed by a $700-million investment.
For communities outside major urban centres, the announcement includes commitments to add new charging hubs along major highways and in communities throughout the province, helping improve access for drivers travelling long distances across northern and rural B.C.
The plan also comes as the province opens applications for the CleanBC Go Electric Public Charger Program, which will invest approximately $18 million in new public fast chargers.
The funding will prioritize Indigenous, rural and northern communities, as well as areas where drivers experience long wait times for charging.
According to BC Hydro, its current public fast-charging network consists of 917 charging ports at 190 locations across the province.
The utility says demand for public charging continues to grow as more British Columbians switch to electric vehicles.
“As conflicts overseas increase pain at the pumps here at home, more British Columbians are switching to electric vehicles,” said Adrian Dix, B.C.’s Minister of Energy and Climate Solutions. He said expanding charging access will help ensure drivers can rely on a convenient and dependable network.
BC Hydro says the next phase of expansion will include larger charging hubs, faster charging technology and standardized site designs aimed at improving reliability and accessibility.
New sites will generally feature 200-kilowatt chargers, while some high-demand locations will receive 400-kilowatt ultra-fast chargers.
Additional customer features, such as plug-and-charge capability and tap-to-pay options, are also planned.
The utility says the expansion builds on the success of B.C.’s Electric Highway, which established a network of fast chargers approximately every 150 kilometres along major highways and travel routes.
The new investments are intended to increase charging capacity and support long-distance travel across the province, including remote regions.
“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 of BC Hydro.
The province says more than 238,000 light-duty zero-emission vehicles were registered in B.C. as of April 1, 2026, up from just over 3,000 in 2015.
There are now more than 8,900 public charging ports across the province, including more than 2,300 fast-charging ports.
For residents of northeastern B.C. and other remote communities, the expansion could improve access to public charging infrastructure while helping connect rural and Indigenous communities to the province’s growing EV network.
The province and BC Hydro say the goal is to ensure drivers can access reliable charging wherever they live, work or travel in British Columbia.