Electrical Planning Reports & EV-Ready Plans for BC Stratas
British Columbia recently passed legislation that requires stratas of 5 or more strata units to
obtain an Electrical Planning Report (EPR). The EPR allows stratas, and the
owners, to better understand their current electrical capacity and how well-suited it is to meet future needs. Stratas can
use the EPR to help plan for future upgrades to heating and cooling systems, for potential electrification of systems
that aren't currently electric, and for additional needs such as EV charging stations.
The EPR provides information on the strata's:
- Current electrical capacity;
- Estimated peak usage;
- Spare capacity;
- And an estimate on future needs.
All BC strata corporations with 5 or more strata units are required to obtain an EPR. This includes condominimums,
townhouse complexes, commercial buildings, hotels, and more.
[External link (new window): Bulletin from the BC Government website]
EV-Ready Plans
The increasing popularity of electrical vehicles also means that there's a heightened demand for EV chargers. In 2023,
the BC Government lowered the voting threshold for strata corporations to install EV charging stations as a strata
corporation expense. Some municipalities within British Columbia have also made it mandatory for new developments to
include EV charging stations.
An EV-Ready Plan is a strategy for residential stratas to include at least one
EV-ready parking stall per strata unit. Paralynx will determine how much electricity will be consumed by these chargers and their infrastructure.
We'll provide a professional opinion on what the strata needs to plan for in order to include EV charging infrastructure.
BC Hydro and Fortis BC offer rebates for EV-related upgrades,
including up to 75% of the cost of an EV-Ready Plan, to a maximum of $3,000. Rebates for EV chargers and their infrastructure are also
available.
The Process
Paralynx will request some information from the strata prior to visiting your site in-person. During the site visit,
we'll begin our investigation into its electrical system. This is an extensive, detailed process where we collect
the data we need to prepare the EPR. Someone from the strata will need to provide us with access to the electrical
room(s), mechanical room(s), any other service room(s), the rooftop, and accompanying spaces as well.
An EV-ready plan can be prepared together with the EPR if initially requested.
Once our engineer has completed their initial investigation and data collection, we will begin the process of
performing the analysis and calculations. The final step is to compile the results of the assessment and create
a report for the strata.
Deadlines for Obtaining an EPR
The deadline to have an Electrical Planning Report produced is the end of 2026 for Lower Mainland stratas and
for those within the Capital Regional District (CRD). Stratas located outside of these areas must have an EPR
by the end of 2028. As the deadline approaches, we anticipate a surge in activity as stratas strive to get
the EPR in place. While the deadline may seem far off, we recommend that stratas get the EPR in motion well
ahead of time to ensure that they are completed on time.
Frequently Asked Questions: EPRs and EV-Ready Plans
Can our strata opt-out of getting an EPR?
No. If your strata has 5 or more strata units, an EPR is mandatory. There's currently no provision for opting-out or deferring the EPR.
What's the difference between an Electrical Planning Report and an EV-Ready Plan?
The EPR is a planning tool that provides information to help the strata understand its current electrical usage and how to plan for
future upgrades. Think of it as a way to help understand the strata's electrical capacity. The EPR is mandatory.
An EV-ready plan is narrowly focused on what it takes to install electrical infrastructure that will support EV charging, as many stratas
don't currently have the infrastructure in place. Getting an EV-ready plan prepared is voluntary. That said, the report is necessary if a strata wishes
to be eligible for BC Hydro or Fortis BC's rebates.
Will the EPR tell us how to increase the strata's power capacity?
The electrical planning report will include information such as:
- Steps the strata can take to reduce the electrical demand;
- A high-level overview of options to increase capacity (note: this is not the same as a design solution, which is outside the scope of the EPR);
- An estimate on how much capacity would be available if the above two actions were taken.
How much does the EPR cost? How about the EV-Ready Plan?
Costs will vary widely depending on the individual strata. Some of the factors that affect the cost include the
number of buildings in the strata, number of strata units, number of floors, common amenity spaces, and ready access to
data such as the single line diagram (SLD), electrical room layout & elevations, site plan, and up-to-date
mechanical drawings.
The cost for preparing the EV-Ready Plan is dependent on similar factors. Note that BC Hydro and Fortis BC
offer a partial rebate of up to 75% (maximum $3,000) for EV-Ready Plans
(
more info).
Paralynx will be pleased to provide a quote for your specific strata.
How long will it take to create the electrical planning report?
It may take a few weeks or a few months. The timeline will depend on the several factors, including how quickly we're able to access data
from the strata, the size and complexity of the strata, and our workload at the time at which we are engaged. We'll use the time to gather
the data, schedule the site visit, perform the calculations and analysis, and create a detailed report. We recommend getting an EPR as
soon as possible to avoid the anticipated rush as the deadline approaches.
How do I get an EPR or EV-ready plan quote for my strata?
Contact us to get the process started. We'll ask a few questions to better understand
your strata, and then we'll provide a quote for the Electrical Planning Report and/or the EV-ready plan.
Request an EPR Quote