Plugging in to Petro-Canada’s Electric Highway just got a lot more expensive in Quebec, as EV charging fees in the province have recently increased by 125%.
Since Petro-Canada’s network of coast-to-coast EV charging stations was completed in 2020, rates in Quebec were the lowest in the country at $0.20 per minute, compared to $0.33 in many parts of the country.
As of June 1st, Quebec has now leapfrogged everyone and EV drivers visiting a Petro-Canada charging station are now billed $0.45 per minute. (h/t: Alex F)
Drive Tesla reached out to Petro-Canada for an explanation on why rates in Quebec increased so dramatically, and the Suncor-owned company did not provide a specific reason, instead explaining why pricing may vary between provinces.
“We provide value per-minute provincial pricing that is competitive in each province. Prices vary by Province because factors such as the cost of electricity, cost of the infrastructure and market dynamics all determine the fees for EV charging which can vary based on location,” a spokesperson said.
According to Petro-Canada’s website, only Quebec has seen an increase, as all other provincial rates remain the same as they were in 2020. There are currently 7 Petro-Canada charging stations in Quebec, which feature both CCS and CHAdeMO connectors.
Tesla has also recently adjusted their Supercharger fees in Canada, implementing a four-tier fee structure to better account for the differences in charging speeds between Urban, V2, and V3 Superchargers. Tesla has since lowered the rates slightly, but the changes still result in an overall cost increase for Supercharging sessions.
Both Tesla and Petro-Canada are only allowed to bill customers by the minute, and not for the amount of energy used due to Measurement Canada regulations. Tesla recently applied for a temporary approval for per-kWh Supercharger billing, but was denied as Measurement Canada says they continue to work with stakeholders to develop new standards.
