B.C. housing standards need to keep pace with EV uptake, warns new roadmap - Clean Energy Canada

A new roadmap released by Clean Energy Canada and the Community Energy Association highlights the urgent need for British Columbia to implement a province-wide electric vehicle (EV)-ready building standard. Drawing on extensive research and consultations with local governments, utilities, developers, and EV experts, the report warns that without such a standard, new residential developments risk incurring higher future costs due to costly retrofits needed to accommodate EV charging infrastructure. This is especially critical for multi-unit residential buildings like apartments and condos, where retrofitting can be significantly more expensive than installing EV-ready infrastructure during initial construction. The report notes that while 33 local governments covering 79% of B.C.’s population have some form of EV-readiness requirements, the absence of a unified provincial standard creates a complex regulatory environment that increases time and costs for developers working across jurisdictions. Beyond simplifying development processes, establishing province-wide EV-ready standards is essential to ensuring equitable access to affordable, reliable EV charging for all residents. The roadmap calls on the province to harmon