Strata electrical planning report

To plan for increased electrical demand - including electric vehicle (EV) charging and heat pumps - strata corporations with five or more strata lots, are required to obtain an electrical planning report by December 31, 2026 or December 31, 2028 depending on where the strata corporation is located in British Columbia.

Learn more on this page:

• The purpose of electrical planning reports (EPRs)
• Electrical capacity and demands for electricity
• Timelines to obtain electrical planning reports
• Electrical planning reports and approving EV charging
• Paying for an EPR
• EPRs as a strata corporation record
• Choosing an EPR provider
• Qualified professionals who can complete an EPR

Purpose of electrical planning reports

Strata corporations with five or more strata lots are required to get an electrical planning report (EPR). The content required in an EPR is set out in the Strata Property Regulation.

An EPR can help strata corporations to understand their current electrical capacity and meet new demands for electricity including electric vehicle (EV) charging and heat pumps. An EPR also helps the strata corporation to manage within existing electrical capacity and avoid upgrades to obtain more electricity.

An electrical planning report must 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 electric vehicle (EV) charging and heat pumps, and
• recommendations for demand management and reducing demand; for example, freeing up electrical capacity by installing LED lighting. (LED lighting is significantly more energy efficient than equivalent incandescent or fluorescent lighting).

Shorter EPRs

Occasionally strata lots in a strata corporation are independently connected to the utility’s electrical distribution (and there is no strata corporation electrical infrastructure). For example, in some rare circumstances, single-family homes in bare land strata corporations are directly connected to the utility’s grid. However this is more the exception than the rule, and bare land strata corporations can also risk exceeding available electrical capacity.

In this rare circumstance, where strata lots are independently supplied with electricity, the electrical planning report provider must confirm this status. The report provider will then issue a shorter EPR to confirm that each strata lot’s electrical capacity is not affected by the electricity use of other strata lots.

Note: individual household utility bills are not an indicator of electricity being provided to the strata lot independently of the strata corporation.

EPR scope and limits

The electrical planning report (EPR) provides the strata corporation with an overview of electrical capacity and future demands. It is not a detailed analysis. 

An EPR is not meant to be used to install electrical loads. If a strata corporation or an owner wants to add equipment that will increase the electrical demand or make changes to the strata corporation's electrical system, the strata corporation will need to ensure a qualified professional selects the equipment, confirms the electrical capacity and informs the strata corporation if electrical upgrades are needed.

There may be opportunities for cost-savings, as some EPR providers can provide additional services and may be able to offer a better price for “bundled” services if these services are provided at the same time as an EPR.

Electrical planning reports versus EV Ready Plans

Electrical planning reports (EPRs) are not the same as EV (electric vehicle) Ready Plans. However, there may be opportunities for cost-savings by having the same provider issue both reports.

• An electrical planning report provides a general overview. The EPR helps the strata corporation and strata owners to understand the electrical capacity of the strata corporation, demands for electricity and avoid exceeding their existing capacity.
• An EV Ready Plan details the requirements to install electric vehicle charging in every parking stall.

Electrical capacity and demands for electricity

Almost all strata corporations, including bare land strata corporations and town house complexes, have finite electrical capacity. Paying for upgrades to electrical capacity can be expensive. Electrical planning reports can help strata corporations understand and manage within their existing capacity. 

Understanding demand for electricity

To produce an electrical planning report, the provider will need to understand the strata corporation’s current and future demands for electricity. To understand electricity demands and priorities, the strata corporation should consult with strata owners. The strata council can hold meetings, conduct surveys or discuss priorities at a general meeting.

The EPR provider will need to understand an estimate of the electrical capacity needed for anticipated future demands including the electrical capacity needed to power:

• heating, cooling, ventilation and other systems that the strata corporation anticipates may be modified or installed in the future and
• EV charging infrastructure that the strata corporation anticipates may be installed in the future.

Some examples of questions a strata corporation can consider when reviewing demands for electricity include:

• Does the strata corporation want to make every parking stall EV ready?
• How would an electric vehicle management system affect electrical demand?
• The strata corporation may want to consider trade-offs between competing uses. For example, do owners want to install heat pumps in every strata lot or should heat pumps be prioritized for strata lots on the south side of the building?

An EPR can also help a strata corporation avoid “brownouts”.  A brownout is a temporary drop in voltage in an electrical power system that causes lights to dim but doesn't completely cut off power. Brownouts should be avoided as they can damage items, including electronic equipment and appliances with motors such as fridges.

Brownouts usually occur during peak load demands when electricity use is higher; for example, after work on a weekday, when people are at home making dinner and using electrically powered devices such as televisions, computers, charging phones, or are doing chores like laundry. Wider brownouts can also occur across a region when electricity demands are unusually high, such as using air conditioners during a heat wave.

Timelines to obtain an electrical planning report

Strata corporations with five or more strata lots are required to obtain an electrical planning report by the following dates:

•  By December 31, 2026, for strata corporations located in:
  • the Metro Vancouver Regional District (excluding islands which are only accessible by air or boat such as Bowen Island),
  • the Fraser Valley Regional District and
  • the Capital Regional District, CRD (excluding islands which are only accessible by air or boat such as the Southern Gulf Islands)
• By December 31, 2028, for strata corporations located in other areas of British Columbia (including the Southern Gulf Islands and Bowen Island).
• New strata corporations will have five years from the deposit of the strata plan to obtain an electrical planning report.
• Phased strata corporations have specific timelines as set out in the Strata Property Regulation, 5.9.

Electrical planning reports and approving EV charging

When the strata has obtained an electrical planning report, or the deadline to obtain an electrical planning report has passed, the strata corporation must follow the process set out in the Strata Property Act and Regulation for approving EV (electric vehicle) charging by a strata owner.

A request for EV charging cannot be unreasonably refused and the strata council must make a decision within three months of the request. The strata corporation can require the owner to pay the costs.

Learn more about electrical vehicle charging in strata corporations.

Paying for electrical planning reports

Like a depreciation report, the cost to obtain an electrical planning report can be paid from either the operating fund or the contingency reserve fund (CRF).

• To pay from the operating fund, the expense must be included in the budget and passed by a majority vote at the annual general meeting.
• To pay from the CRF, a resolution must be passed by majority vote at an annual or special general meeting.

Electrical planning reports as a strata corporation record

An electrical planning report is a permanent record of the strata corporation and must be disclosed on the Form B: Information Certificate when requested by owners and prospective purchasers. As a best practice, it should not contain council members' personal contact information or price quotes for projects.

Choosing an EPR provider

When choosing an electrical planning report (EPR) provider, the strata council should ask for examples of their work and references. It is helpful to have an electrical planning report that is clearly written and easy to understand since the EPR is a permanent strata record. The EPR is also disclosed on the Form B: Information Certificate and it will be provided to owners and prospective purchasers for many years.

Qualified professionals who can complete an EPR

Strata Property Regulation 5.10 specifies the B.C. professionals who can complete an electrical planning report:

• For a Part 9 building, the qualified professional must be one of the following: an electrical engineer, an applied science technologist or a licensed electrician (specifically the electrician must be a journey person, as that term is defined in the Skilled Trades BC Act, in the construction electrician or industrial electrician trades)
• For a Part 3 building, the qualified professional must either be an electrical engineer or an applied science technologist

Part 9 and Part 3 buildings

The type of professional who can complete an electrical planning report depends on whether the strata corporations is a Part 9 or a Part 3 building under the B.C. Building Code.

• The B.C. Building Code contains specific design criteria for housing and small buildings in Part 9 of the Code. Part 9 buildings are not more three storeys and not larger than 600 m2 in their foot print. Part 9 buildings can include, for example, single-family homes and small buildings.
• The design criteria for larger, complex buildings are found in Part 3 of the B.C. Building Code. Part 3 buildings can be any height or footprint and may include for example, condo towers and mid-rise apartment blocks.

Strata corporations can check with their local government if they are unsure whether their building is a Part 9 or a Part 3 building.

References:

Strata Property Act: 

• Part 5 Property, Division 6 – Alterations to Common Property to Install EV Charging Infrastructure:
• s. 90.1, 90.2, 90.3
• Part 6, Finances, Division 1 – Operating Fund and Contingency Reserve Fund
  • s. 92 (a) (iii), … paying for an EPR from the operating fund
  • Electrical planning report 94.1 (1) (2) (3)
  • SPA s. 96 (b) (i) (A) (IV) … paying for an EPR from the contingency reserve fund

Strata Property Regulation:

• Part 5.1 – Alterations to Common Property to Install EV Charging Infrastructure for Owner
• Part 5.2 – Electrical Planning Report: 5.7, 5.8, 5.9, 5.10. 5.11, 5.12

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