Electric vehicle charging in strata corporations

B.C. passed legislation May 11, 2023, to enable strata corporations to more easily install electric vehicle (EV) charging. As of December 6, 2023, regulations now specify the process for strata corporations to approve EV charging and require strata corporations, with more five or more units, to obtain an electrical planning report. 

Page updated December 6, 2023

Learn more on this page:

• Supporting electric vehicle charging in strata corporations
• Obtaining an electrical planning report
• Owner's request for EV charging
• Exclusive use of a parking stall

Supporting electric vehicle charging in strata corporations

Now it is easier for strata corporations and strata owners to install electric vehicle (EV) charging.

• Some changes in Bill 22 – 2023: the Strata Property Amendment Act, 2023, became effective as of May 11, 2023
• Other changes came into effect by regulation as of December 6, 2023 please see OIC 671-23.

To review Bill 22, please go to this link: https://www.leg.bc.ca/parliamentary-business/legislation-debates-proceedings/42nd-parliament/4th-session/bills/progress-of-bills and click third reading for Bill 22 – 2023: the Strata Property Amendment Act, 2023.

Bill 22 changes in effect as of May 11, 2023

A key change that became effective as of May 11, 2023, is allowing a strata corporation to approve some EV charging decisions by a majority vote instead of by a  ¾ vote.

Lower voting thresholds make it easier for strata corporations to approve and install electric vehicle charging as a strata corporation expense. Please note: a ¾ vote continues to be required for all special levies, including special levies for EV charging infrastructure.

• Section 96 allows for a majority vote of approval, instead of a ¾ vote, to approve spending from the contingency reserve fund, if the expense is:
  • related to the installation of EV charging infrastructure or the management of electricity used by EV charging infrastructure.
  • necessary to obtain a report respecting the installation or operation of EV charging infrastructure or the management of electricity used by EV charging infrastructure—this could include an EV ready report or an electrical planning report.
• Section 71 changes the voting approval threshold from a ¾ vote of approval to a majority vote of approval for a significant change in use or appearance of common property if the change is related to the installation of EV charging infrastructure or the management of electricity used by EV charging infrastructure.
• Section 82 changes the voting approval threshold from a ¾ vote of approval to a majority vote of approval for the strata corporation to acquire or dispose of personal property related to the installation, operation, maintenance or repair of EV charging infrastructure, or the management of electricity used by EV charging. (An example of personal property would be an EV charging station owned by the strata corporation).

Changes in effect as of December 6, 2023

Order-in-Council 671-23 has brought additional changes into effect by regulation as of December 6, 2023.

With this OIC:

• strata corporations with five or more lots lots are now required to obtain electrical planning reports
• strata corporations can now grant short-term exclusive use of parking stalls, on common property, equipped with EV charging, for up to five years, in certain circumstances
• has specified a process for owners if they wish to request the installation of EV charging and require strata corporations to consider and respond to a request within 3 months

Obtaining an electrical planning report

OIC 671-23 (effective December 6, 2023) requires strata corporations with five more strata lots to obtain an electrical planning report by the following dates:

• By December 31, 2026, strata corporations located in three areas: the Metro Vancouver Regional District, the Fraser Valley Regional District and the Capital Regional District (excluding the Gulf Islands) are required to obtain an electrical planning report.
• By December 31, 2028, strata corporations located in other areas of British Columbia are required to obtain an electrical planning report.
• New strata corporations will have five years from the deposit of the strata plan to obtain an electrical planning report.
• For details on phased strata corporations, please refer to details as noted in the OIC.

An electrical planning report helps strata corporations to understand their current electrical capacity and their ability to meet new demands for electricity including charging electric vehicles and other needs such as installing heat pumps (section 94.1).

An electrical planning report will provide information about:

• the current capacity of the strata corporation's electrical system
• a list of existing demands on the electrical system
• an estimate of peak electrical demand and spare electrical capacity
• an estimate of the electrical capacity needed to support future demands, such as EV charging and heat pumps and
• recommendations for demand management

An electrical planning report must be prepared by a qualified professional: a professional engineer, an applied science technologist or a journey person electrician.

Strata corporations will be able to pay for electrical planning reports from the operating fund or the contingency reserve fund (section 92 and 96).

Owner's request for EV charging

• The updated regulations (as per OIC 671-23) specify the details that must be included in an owner’s request to install a charger, or other EV charging infrastructure, (section 90.1) and the conditions and criteria that a strata council may consider when reviewing an owner’s request.
  • For example, the strata corporation may consider the capacity of, and current and anticipated demands on the strata corporation’s electrical system. If the conditions are met, the strata corporation cannot unreasonably refuse the request but may require the owner to agree in writing to certain conditions.
  • Owner requests must include: owner contact information and strata lot number, a description of the proposed EV charging infrastructure, the location at which the EV charging infrastructure would be used, the name and contact information of a qualified contractor, a description prepared by a qualified contractor of the work required to make the proposed alternations, and an estimate prepared by the contractor of the cost and time necessary to complete the proposed alterations.
  • Conditions include the strata corporation’s approval of infrastructure, contractors, material and a requirement to modify or replace the alteration in the event that the strata corporation installs other EV charging infrastructure for the benefit of additional owners (section 90.2).
  • If the owner’s request is approved, the strata council can allow the owner to make the alteration, or the strata corporation may make the alteration and require the owner to pay for it in advance (section 90.3).

Exclusive use of a parking stall

• The new regulations, as per OIC 671-23, allows strata corporations to grant permission to exclusively use a parking stall, that is common property for a period of up to 5 years if EV charging has been installed in the parking stall and the installation was paid for by the owner.

Find it fast: a convenient site map listing all the webpages on the Province's strata housing website.

Subscribe for occasional emailed updates to strata legislation and the Province's strata housing website.

Disclaimer: the information on this website about strata housing is provided for the user’s convenience as a basic starting point; it is not a substitute for getting legal advice. Learn more about the site’s purpose and limits.

The content on this website is periodically reviewed and updated by the Province of British Columbia as per the date noted on each page: December 6, 2023.