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Electric vehicle charging in stratas

The growing demand for EV charging in stratas

It’s important that strata corporations plan for the needs of owners and residents who want to charge their electric vehicles at home. British Columbia has the highest uptake of electric vehicles in North America. In 2023, electric vehicles made up 23% of new car sales in BC.

  • Under the Zero-Emission Vehicles Act, all light-duty (cars and trucks) vehicles sold in BC will be zero-emission vehicles by 2035.
  • Many strata corporations are eligible for rebates to install electrical infrastructure and EV charging stations.
  • Strata corporations that supply electricity to charging stations may qualify for low carbon fuel credits
  • Changes to the Strata Property Act (SPA) in 2023 mean that once section 90.1 comes into effect for your strata, the council will not be able to unreasonably refuse an owner’s request to install an EV charging station and infrastructure.

Is your strata ready for the coming demand?

CleanBC – Go electric EV charger rebate program

The CleanBC – Go electric EV charger rebate program offers rebates to certain condo and townhouse strata corporations for an EV Ready Plan, electrical infrastructure to implement the plan, and electric vehicle charging stations.

VISOA’s webinar series provides in-depth information for strata owners and councils. While a few details about rebates and voting thresholds have changed since originally presented, these webinars still offer valuable information about the steps involved in a project, EV charging infrastructure, operating costs and management of these systems, and how to comply with the SPA every step of the way.

  • EV Charging: Working with your strata council: watch on YouTube
  • EV Ready plans for condominium stratas: watch on YouTube
  • EV Electrical infrastructure rebates for condominium stratas: watch on YouTube
  • EV Charging stations: Rebates for stratas: watch on YouTube
  • EV Charging for townhouse stratas (also applies to duplexes): watch on YouTube
  • Choosing a contractor for EV charging installations in stratas: webinar by Neil Normandeau, Electrical Joint Training Committee, EVITP (Electric Vehicle Infrastructure Training Program):  watch on YouTube

We gratefully acknowledge the financial support of the Province of British Columbia through the Minister of Energy and Climate Solutions.

Low carbon fuel credits for stratas

Under BC’s Low Carbon Fuels Act and Regulations, electricity supplied to EV charging stations is a low carbon fuel. If your strata corporation supplies electricity to EV charging stations, it might be eligible to receive low carbon fuel credits. To be eligible for credits your strata corporation has to pass these 3 tests:

  • Supply and pay for the electricity to final supply equipment (FSE). Charging stations are FSE because the stations are the final equipment through which electricity is provided to an electric vehicle.
  • Electricity can be measured accurately (such as reading a dedicated BC Hydro meter, data from charging stations, or data from a networked system)
  • Charging takes place at a building that has 5 or more attached dwelling units.

Getting the money from low carbon fuel credits has two main steps: submitting a compliance report to get credits from the Ministry of Energy and Climate Solutions, then selling the credits on the credit market. Check out these resources to learn more:

Changes to the Strata Property Act (2023)

On December 6, 2023, amendments to the SPA and Regulations became effective which make it easier for strata owners to install electric vehicle charging stations in strata properties. See SPA s. 90.1 to 90.3, and Regulations 5.101 and 5.3 to 5.6.

An owner may only make a request under SPA s. 90.1 if it has come into effect for their strata (i.e. the strata has obtained an electrical planning report or the deadline to do so has passed). Once in effect, the strata corporation cannot unreasonably refuse to approve an owner’s request if it was properly made under SPA s. 90.1. Council must decide whether to approve an owner’s request within 3 months after receiving the request. If approved, council may require the owner to agree in writing to reasonable conditions. There may be situations when a request can be denied. SPA s. 90.2 sets out conditions and criteria that a council may consider when reviewing an owner’s request.

Read our blog post to learn more: Regulations make it easier to install electric vehicle charging in stratas.

Check out these resources and tools to help you plan your project.

Does your strata have questions about EV charging? Contact: EVcharging@visoa.bc.ca

Municipalities and districts offering rebate top-ups

Visit the Nanaimo and  Saanich websites to learn about rebates for EV Ready plans and electrical infrastructure installations for qualifying strata corporations. Find top-ups in other BC communities.

Member-only resources

Log in to your account to access the following resources:

  • Planning EV charging for your condominium strata corporation: A workbook for strata owners and councils
  • How stratas can get low carbon fuel credits for EV charging (slides)
  • EV Ready plans for condominium stratas (slides)
  • EV Electrical infrastructure rebates for condominium stratas (slides)
  • EV Charging stations: rebates for stratas (slides)
  • EV Charging for townhouse stratas (also applies to duplexes) (slides)
  • EV Charging: working with your strata council (slides)
  • Choosing a contractor for EV charging installations in stratas (slides and Q&A pdf)
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