Canada Needs 19 Million EV Chargers by 2040

A new report identifies critical infrastructure gaps and hurdles for Canada to meet its electric vehicle charging demands.

Updated on Oct. 30, 2026 in Electric Vehicles

Canada Needs 19 Million EV Chargers by 2040

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The Canadian Climate Institute reports that Canada must scale up to 19 million private and public electric vehicle chargers to support the 21 million electric vehicles expected on roads by 2040. Addressing this challenge requires overcoming significant geographical and residential barriers to infrastructure deployment.

Why it matters

Meeting the country's electric vehicle adoption targets requires solving accessibility issues in multi-unit residential buildings and addressing the lack of fast-charging options in remote regions. Failing to manage grid demand could lead to strain, while improved charging programs could cut peak residential usage by 48 per cent.

Canada requires 19 million chargers by 2040 to service an estimated 21 million electric vehicles. Currently, 87 per cent of chargers funded via the Zero Emission Vehicle Infrastructure Program through 2023 were concentrated in Ontario, British Columbia, and Quebec.

The players

Canadian Climate Institute

This is an independent non-profit organization that provides analysis and advice to governments on climate change policy and clean growth.

The details

Infrastructure deployment faces hurdles because 70 per cent of current public chargers were built without federal funding, and private firms struggle to profit in low-density areas. Additionally, retrofitting multi-unit residential buildings for chargers costs three to four times more than installing them during initial construction.

Through 2023: Federal charging infrastructure program data collection concludes.
2035: Target for 75 per cent of new car sales to be electric vehicles.
2040: Target for 19 million chargers and 90 per cent of new car sales to be electric vehicles.

Roadmap

The report underscores the limitations of the Zero Emission Vehicle Infrastructure Program, which has heavily favoured Ontario, British Columbia, and Quebec to date. Broadening this infrastructure strategy is essential to support the projected transition where 90 per cent of new car sales become electric by 2040.

Homeowners may find charging access easier to secure as 96 per cent of required infrastructure is planned for residential settings. However, those living in multi-unit buildings may face higher costs for retrofitting compared to new builds, affecting overall installation affordability.

The takeaway

Proactive load-management programs for electric vehicles could reduce strain on the power grid by nearly half during peak periods. Drivers should monitor future developments in utility demand charges, which currently represent a large portion of charging costs.