The Government of Canada is taking steps to standardize charging ports on electronic devices.

According to the 2023 budget, the federal government plans to "work with international partners and other stakeholders to explore implementing a standard charging port in Canada for phones, tablets, cameras, laptops and other electronic devices, with the aim of lowering costs for Canadians and reducing electronic waste."

The move would be similar to rules recently introduced by the European Union requiring phones, tablets, and cameras to be equipped with USB-C charging ports by the end of 2024.

By 2026, that will include laptops too.

USB-C charge ports are standard on a majority of Android phones and countless other devices, with the biggest change applying to Apple products, since iPhones use Lightning cables and many Macbooks use proprietary charging ports.

Details are sparse on what the rules in Canada would look like, and the government hasn't specified which charger would be standardized under their legislation.