FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Industry findings highlight permitting delays, inconsistent approval requirements, and opportunities to accelerate public fast-charging deployment across Canada.

TORONTO, November 4, 2026 — The Canadian Charging Infrastructure Council (CCIC) has published a new industry survey report identifying key barriers to public electric vehicle (EV) charging deployment in Canada and practical steps municipalities can take to accelerate infrastructure development.

The report, Hearing from the Experts: Survey Findings on Municipal Approvals, Utility Connections, and Public Fast-Charging Deployment in Canada, draws on responses from key industry organizations with deployment experience across eight provinces.

The findings highlight how municipal requirements designed for larger developments can create delays and uncertainty for relatively straightforward charging installations in existing parking lots. Respondents identified inconsistent permitting requirements, parking minimums, and utility connection processes as recurring challenges affecting project timelines and costs.

Key findings include:

• 78% of respondents identified municipal parking minimum requirements as a source of project delays.
• 88% reported moderate to extreme variation in approval processes between municipalities within the same province.
• 54 sites were abandoned after host agreements had been secured over the preceding 24 months, including 10 primarily attributed to municipal approval delays or denials and 17 to utility connection delays or costs.
• 71% identified fewer or no permit requirements as a characteristic of municipalities with faster approval processes.
• 89% said municipal permits for parking-lot retrofits should be issued in under three months.

CCIC recommends four priority actions, each low cost, available within existing municipal authority, and without compromising existing safety standards:

1. Recognize EV charging stalls within parking requirements, so installing chargers does not unnecessarily reduce a property’s permitted parking supply.
2. Establish streamlined approval pathways for straightforward charging retrofits, including minor-works or as-of-right approaches where appropriate.
3. Publish clear, accessible approval requirements and designate a municipal point of contact to help applicants navigate the process.
4. Establish predictable approval timelines, including a three-month service standard for decisions on complete retrofit applications.

The report also examines utility connection barriers and opportunities to improve coordination between charging providers and electricity distributors.