Proposed cuts to Canada’s Electric Vehicle Availability Standard (EVAS) could sharply slow the rollout of public fast-charging stations and derail major clean infrastructure investments, according to a new report from the Canadian Charging Infrastructure Council (CCIC).
In its forthcoming submission to the House of Commons Standing Committee on Environment and Sustainable Development, CCIC warns that even modest reductions to the EVAS would have significant consequences for the country’s EV charging network and related employment. The report, “Policymaker Brief: Changes to Canada’s EV Availability Standard Impact Charging,” projects that lowering EVAS targets by even a modest amount — from 60 per cent to 40 per cent of new car sales by 2030 — would reduce new public fast-charger deployment by 38 per cent.
“A strong EVAS is essential to attract the capital, skilled labour, and supply chains needed to build Canada’s public charging network,” said Travis Allan, President of CCIC, in a statement. “Weakening this policy risks cancelling projects planned and already under development and would slow the deployment of the infrastructure Canadians need to save money by driving electric.”
The report highlights that a deeper cut to 30 per cent of new car sales by 2030 could drive a 62 per cent drop, eliminating an estimated $500 million in direct investment and stalling grid modernization efforts.
The EVAS sets minimum annual sales targets for zero-emission vehicles, ensuring supply keeps pace with demand through 2030 and 2035. Charging network operators rely on these targets for predictable EV adoption rates to justify large-scale investments.
Canada’s public fast-charging network has doubled since 2023 to more than 7,500 ports, with annual growth between 25 and 30 per cent since 2020. The sector is currently on pace to meet 2030 demand projections of 22,000 to 23,000 chargers—representing over $1.5 billion in new infrastructure spending.
