The pitch to Metro Vancouver fleet operators has been straightforward: swap diesel vans for electric, collect the incentives, and reduce fuel costs. Thousands of small and mid-size businesses have followed this path. However, the charging network required to support these vehicles has not kept pace with the rapid rate of adoption.
British Columbia has emerged as one of Canada's most aggressive markets for commercial electric vehicle (EV) adoption, supported by provincial and federal funding. Natural Resources Canada data shows BC consistently accounting for a disproportionate share of national light- and medium-duty commercial EV registrations. The province's CleanBC Go Electric commercial vehicle incentive has seen funding drawn down at a pace that has surprised program administrators in recent budget cycles.
Registration numbers, however, tell only part of the story. Fleet managers running delivery services, trades, and mobile service providers are finding that public and semi-public charging infrastructure is poorly matched to commercial duty cycles. While passenger vehicles often charge overnight at home, a service van requires reliable mid-day top-ups, often in industrial areas of Burnaby or Surrey where Level 2 commercial stalls are scarce and DC fast chargers remain rare.
BC Hydro's EV fleet charging program has funded workplace and depot installations, and the utility has stated that depot charging—where a business installs infrastructure on-site—is the intended backbone of commercial fleet electrification. This model serves operators with private facilities well, but it is less effective for businesses that lease space in multi-tenant industrial buildings, operate from shared yards, or run vehicles that spend the day in the field.
The data illustrates this disparity. Natural Resources Canada's charging station registry indicates that the ratio of commercial-grade DC fast charging stalls to registered commercial EVs in Metro Vancouver has deteriorated as fleet adoption has accelerated. Publicly accessible Level 3 infrastructure in industrial corridors remains thin compared to the residential and retail-adjacent charging built during the early 2020s.
The BC Trucking Association has identified charging access as a primary operational concern for members, particularly for those whose routes extend beyond Metro Vancouver into the Fraser Valley. Range on a loaded medium-duty EV in winter conditions—with heating and maximum cargo weight—can fall short of manufacturer estimates, reducing the margin for error when public fast charging is unreliable or occupied.
The opportunity for providers
For infrastructure providers and electrical contractors, this gap presents a significant business case. Commercial fleet charging installations are technically complex, requiring higher amperage service upgrades, load management systems, and billing infrastructure. The pool of electricians with demonstrated commercial EV expertise in BC remains limited. FortisBC's commercial EV charging program has reported strong application volumes, and contractors specializing in these installations are reporting project backlogs.
The multi-tenant industrial building segment is particularly underserved. Strata-style industrial properties face collective action challenges—including shared electrical infrastructure and landlord-tenant coordination—but with higher power requirements and less regulatory pressure to resolve them. Property owners who install managed charging infrastructure early may gain a competitive advantage as tenant demand for such amenities grows alongside electrification mandates.
Strategic planning for operators
For SMEs evaluating fleet procurement in the next 12 months, the infrastructure gap carries direct capital implications. Depot charging installation costs—including service upgrades, hardware, and labour—can range from $15,000 to over $100,000 depending on site conditions. While federal ZEVIP funding and provincial rebates can offset a portion of these costs, operators should model the full installed price when building their business case.
Operators who lease space should negotiate charging infrastructure provisions into lease renewals now. Businesses that treat the infrastructure problem as a logistics planning exercise—solved before vehicles arrive—will likely operate more efficiently than those relying on the assumption that public networks will be available when needed.
The commercial EV transition in BC remains economically viable for most fleets, but charging infrastructure is currently the most consequential variable in operational math. The opportunity for providers, contractors, and building owners lies in closing this gap.
