Travis Allan

While 2025 was a record year for public fast charging development in Canada, charging providers have faced major barriers getting stations in the ground. As former Expo speaker and behavioural scientist Loran Nordgren reminded us, progress doesn’t stall because of a lack of ambition – it stalls because of friction. Across the country, deeply embedded, system-level barriers are slowing the rollout of charging infrastructure at the speed and scale required. On the ground, that friction shows up as outdated municipal bylaws, inconsistent permitting requirements between jurisdictions, delayed utility connections or months lost to seemingly minor approvals – each adding cost, uncertainty and risk. In many cases, these delays are enough to undermine an otherwise viable private investment, and they can be especially challenging in areas that remain underserved with fast charging infrastructure. For municipalities, utilities and charging providers, this session will help you identify where friction lives in your systems and what you can do to remove it. The biggest takeaway won't be technology, but how we can modernize the processes and coordination needed to enable Canada’s electric future and unlock private charging investment.