New regulations for stratas help get more electric vehicles on the road

At a glance (2 minute read)

New BC government regulations facilitate EV charging in stratas with more than five units.
The regulations include a process for residents to request EV charging stations and guide strata corporations in granting permissions.
Stratas must obtain an Electrical Planning Report (EPR) to plan for future upgrades, with phased deadlines based on location, and small stratas are exempt.

If you live in a strata with more than five units and are considering buying an electric vehicle (EV), new BC government regulations will help ensure you can charge your EV at home.

“Lack of access to electric vehicle charging should not be a deterrent to people wanting to purchase or rent in a strata complex,” said Ravi Kahlon, minister of housing, in a government news release.

The Electric Vehicle Charging and Electric Management Regulation, passed on December 6, 2023 under Bill 22: the Strata Property Amendment Act, is now in force.

Strata property residents

The new regulations outline a process for strata property residents to request to install an EV charging station.

Strata corporations

The new rules guide strata corporations in:

determining a timeline to respond to residents’ requests for EV charging stations;
granting permission to an owner to exclusively use a parking stall on common property for as long as five years if EV charging has been installed and the installation resulted from an owner’s request for EV charging.

Strata requirements for an electrical planning report

Strata corporations will be required to obtain an Electrical Planning Report (EPR) to help plan for future upgrades and demands on electrical systems, including conversion to heat pumps and installation of cooling equipment.

The EPR must include a range of information including:

the current building electrical capacity, peak demand, spare capacity and future anticipated electricity demand;
a list of systems powered by electricity (including EV charging stations); and
recommendations about how to manage electrical capacity and demand.

The BC government will provide information about the EPR requirements online in the coming months.

EPR deadline

The deadline for stratas to obtain an EPR will be phased in over several years.

Stratas located in Metro Vancouver, Fraser Valley, and Capital Regional Districts (excluding the Gulf Islands) must obtain an EPR by late 2026.

Stratas located in other areas of the province will be required to obtain an EPR by late 2028.

Exemption for small stratas

Small stratas of fewer than five units will be exempt from the EPR requirement.

Strata voting

These regulations also bring into force the remainder of Bill 22: the Strata Property Amendment Act which lowered the voting threshold from 75 per cent to a majority for approval of certain decisions related to the installation of electric vehicle charging equipment.