Manitoba to regulate EV charge stations

The province is preparing to regulate electric vehicle charging services as costs vary widely across Manitoba — including one motorist who recently received a $680 bill for less than two hours of plugging in.

Dauphin resident John Kolisnyk said he was shocked when he received a bill for $681.36 after he charged his 2025 Chevrolet Equinox for one hour and 53 minutes at Redline Dodge Chrysler in Swan River earlier this year. He was in the community for a medical appointment.

“(The dealership) refuses to adjust the bill and said they can charge any price they want,” the upset 70-year-old said Thursday.

“I cannot find any stations in Manitoba that are even remotely close to this rate. This is highway robbery.”

Normal fee around $20/hour

James Hart, president of the Manitoba Electric Vehicle Association, said the organization is aware of the much higher than average prices at the Swan River dealership, as well as another one in Portage la Prairie.

“It is true that they are able to charge what they want,” Hart said. “Manitoba EV is against these outrageous fees for charging. We are actively talking with different parties to get the Swan River and Portage la Prairie dealerships to reevaluate their costs.

“But I think most of it is because they didn’t want to put it in.”

Hart said the normal fee for a full charge, at a commercial charging station, is about $20 per hour. He said there are about 10,000 EVs in Manitoba, which represent about 10 per cent of annual vehicle sales.

“The best we can do now is tell people not to use it and that it is cheaper to get a hotel and stay there than it is to use the dealership,” he said.

Province to regulate power resale

Finance Minister Adrien Sala confirmed in an interview the province is moving to regulate electric charging stations.

“It is certainly concerning to hear about this instance,” Sala said, noting the government wants to continue to see Manitobans shift towards EVs.

“That’s why we are moving forward with regulation to help ensure when it comes to the resale of power, that Manitobans are protected and we are keeping their costs low when they go to buy electricity to charge their vehicle from a private re-seller.”

Kolisnyk said he doesn’t understand why the dealership is charging the exorbitant costs — so much so that it would’ve been cheaper to spend three nights at an area hotel, which has a vehicle charge included in the room rate.

“Nobody will use the charger if they charge that,” he said.

‘I don’t want people to use it’: dealership owner

Greg Ashauer, the owner of Redline Dodge Chrysler, says that’s really the point.

“I don’t want people to use it,” Ashauer said, noting it cost him $86,000 for the charger. Every time someone uses it, he said it costs him more.

“I was forced to buy this EV charger by the manufacturer and we sell zero EVs in our marketplace… For most businesses, you want a return on your investment — it is going to take me 10 lifetimes to get a return on this investment.”

Ashauer said Kolisnyk called twice before coming to Swan River and was told in advance how much the charge would cost.

“We made it very clear this is what it costs to charge,” he said. “He knew exactly what he was signing up for.

“It also says right on the machine what the price is per minute and it says right on the app what the price is per minute — there is no way he couldn’t have known.”

Ashauer said only four people have charged their vehicles in the 10 months it has been installed and he’s earned a total of $4.12 during the first three months of this year.

‘$86,000 paperweight’

“They forced all the dealers to put them in, but a lot of dealers told them to pound sand,” he said. “I put it in, but I regret it every day. As far as I’m concerned, it’s an $86,000 paperweight sitting out there.”

Jacqueline Wasney, a board member of the Consumers’ Association of Canada’s Manitoba branch said she urges the vehicle owner and others to call the consumer protection office about pricing issues at charging stations.

“This is frustrating,” Wasney said. “Government and other agencies are working so hard to make this available and to do this is a bit frustrating.

“This really flies in the face of encouraging these vehicles.”

kevin.rollason@freepress.mb.ca