Drivers to face $125 fine for blocking electric charging stations under new Ontario law

The Ontario government has passed a bill that will make it illegal to block electric vehicle charging stations in the province.

Bill 123, dubbed the “Reserved Parking for Electric Vehicle Charging Act,” was passed at Queen’s Park Thursday and will make it illegal for a non-electric car to park in a charging spot.

Drivers of electric vehicles who are parked in a charging spot but not using the equipment can also face the $125 fine.

Bill 123 was co-sponsored by Ontario Green party MPP Mike Schreiner and Progressive Conservative MPP Lorne Coe.

It marks the first time a piece of Green party legislation passed in the Ontario legislature.

“This is common sense legislation that makes life easier for EV drivers and removes one of the barriers standing in the way of EV adoption,” Schreiner said in a news release.

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“I promised to put people before party and to do politics differently by working collaboratively to improve life for Ontarians. I am proud that the first Green legislation was a collective effort to make a small, albeit substantive, difference for EVs, which are essential to combating the climate crisis.”

The bill amends the Highway Traffic Act and received royal assent Thursday. A government spokesperson said the law has not yet taken effect, however, pending regulatory requirements regarding sign size, placement, and other considerations.