The City of Vancouver has once again paused its planned $10,000 annual business license fee for gas stations and larger commercial parking lots that do not have EV charging infrastructure installed. However, this time, the pause might be permanent.
The policy required all gas stations and parking lots with more than 60 spaces in Vancouver to install a DC fast-charger of at least 50 kW. Failure to do so would result in their business licence ($243 for gas stations and $163 for parking lots) increasing by $10,000 per year.
Although the initial installation costs were a significant investment for the 66 gas stations and approximately 200 commercial parking lots within Vancouver, city officials estimated that the chargers would pay for themselves within eight years through charging fees.
However, unlike in 2024 when the city extended the deadline to January 2026, this pause does not have a new deadline. (via Electric Autonomy) Reading between the lines, this is most likely the final nail in the coffin for the policy, which was set to be the first in Canada.
The decision was made due to a variety of factors, including broader challenges facing these businesses and further feedback from stakeholders. It remains unclear whether the city will propose a new policy or pivot, but according to spokespeople, Vancouver will explore ways to support additional charging infrastructure in the city; however, the specifics of this approach are not yet known.
