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 adopt a province-wide electric vehicle (EV)-ready building standard. Despite significant EV adoption in the province, supported by low electricity prices and past incentives, the absence of a unified standard risks costly and disruptive retrofits in the future, especially in multi-unit residential buildings like apartments and condos. The report, based on extensive research and stakeholder engagement, emphasizes that homes built today will need to accommodate increasing EV ownership over their lifespans, making early integration of EV charging infrastructure both practical and cost-effective. Currently, 33 local governments covering 79% of B.C.’s population have some form of EV-readiness requirements, but the lack of a province-wide standard creates a complex regulatory environment for developers working across jurisdictions, increasing project costs and timelines. Beyond simplifying development, the roadmap stresses that EV-ready buildings are essential for equitable access to affordable, clean transportation technologies, addressing barriers such as the lack of