BC Hydro has hit a major milestone in building British Columbia’s electric vehicle future, now offering over 800 public charging ports across the province. This achievement comes as BC Hydro launches its most powerful fast chargers yet at a brand-new charging hub in Burnaby – setting a new benchmark for speed and convenience.
Located at BCIT’s Burnaby campus (3700 Willingdon Avenue, parking lot N), the hub features two 400-kilowatt chargers, which can add up to 100-kilometres of driving to an average EV in about three minutes. In addition to being the fastest on BC Hydro’s network, the chargers also offer power sharing so two vehicles can charge together on the same unit and receive up to 200-kilowatts each. There are also two 180-kilowatt chargers, each capable of power sharing, meaning up to eight EVs to use these four chargers at once. The site features chargers equipped with CCS, NACS, and CHAdeMO connectors in various configurations to accommodate a wide range of EVs.
“This new electric vehicle charge hub in Burnaby continues our work with BC Hydro and other partners to make cleaner options more accessible and affordable for all British Columbians,” said Adrian Dix, Minister of Energy and Climate Solutions. “With more than 800 BC Hydro charging ports now available in communities throughout B.C., we are building a public charging network that’s ready to meet the growing demand for electric vehicles and will support economic growth in our province.”
Burnaby now hosts two BC Hydro fast-charging sites, including an existing location with two 100-kilowatt chargers in North Burnaby at the Kensington Square Shopping Centre at 6500 Hastings Street. The two sites now provide a combined 10 charging ports for EV users in the community.
“Burnaby is excited to be part of this significant milestone to host the first 400-kilowatt chargers in our public charging network with a central location that’s easily accessible off Highway 1,” said Anne Kang, MLA for Burnaby Centre. “These new BC Hydro chargers strengthen the Lower Mainland’s charging infrastructure, giving drivers more confidence to choose zero-emission vehicles.”
BC Hydro will add more 400-kilowatt chargers to its network in 2026. The adoption of EVs across British Columbia has increased significantly with more than 220,000 EVs on the road in B.C. As BC Hydro continues to build its fast-charging network, it plans to focus on building more hub sites with multiple chargers along highway corridors and highly populated areas to provide a faster and more convenient experience for its customers.
“We’re expanding B.C.’s clean electricity supply and strengthening our provincial grid to power homes, businesses, industry and the future of transportation,” said Charlotte Mitha, President and CEO of BC Hydro. “These new EV chargers in Burnaby are part of our investment in electric vehicle infrastructure – supporting EV adoption, reducing range anxiety and helping more British Columbians transition to zero-emission driving.”
BC Hydro is working to build a robust EV charging network across the province. Recent milestones include:
- Network expansion: In the past year alone, BC Hydro has tripled the size of its public charging network, adding 418 new charging ports.
- State-of-the-art hubs: About two-dozen new hubs have opened in every region of the province, each featuring 8 to 22 charging ports, to help minimize wait times for drivers.
- Next-gen fast chargers: BC Hydro is optimizing charging speeds to fit customer needs. At grocery store locations, 180 kilowatt dual chargers align with the average 40-minute shopping visit, while sites that benefit from faster turnover feature next-generation ultra-fast chargers up to 400 kilowatts – delivering about 100 kilometres of range in just minutes.
- Completion of the Electric Highway: With fast chargers placed about every 150 kilometers along major routes, the Government of B.C. completed the Electric Highway in September 2024. BC Hydro operates 114 of the highway’s 155 charging locations, making up more than 70 per cent of the network.
BC Hydro’s provincewide fast charging network currently includes 811 charging ports at 178 sites in communities throughout B.C. The chargers are funded in a partnership with the Province of B.C. and Natural Resources Canada.
[source: Electrive, BC Hydro]
