November 2023
Requirements, process and considerations surrounding electric vehicle charging stations (EVCSs) are clearer as technology is enhanced and put into practice.
Most condo buildings were not built to accommodate electric vehicle charging. Communities choosing to offer this amenity must comply with the Condominium Act and address practical considerations.
The Condominium Act incorporates regulations for approving the installation of electric vehicle chargers and charging systems in condominium buildings.
- A condominium corporation much provide owners with 60 days notice before making upgrades for EVCSs so long as costs are estimated to be less than 10 percent of the corporation’s annual budget.
- When upgrades for an EVCS are estimated to cost more than 10 percent of the corporation’s annual budget, condominium corporations must provide notice to owners and include an opportunity for them to requisition a meeting to vote on the proposed upgrades.
- When an owner requests an electric vehicle charger, condominium corporations must give their approval UNLESS there is expert advice justifying refusal. This is generally an engineering report stating that necessary upgrades are impractical because of cost or other considerations. If approval is granted, the owner must enter into an agreement dealing with responsibility for costs and other matters registered against the owner’s unit.
Practical considerations for which there are currently no clear answers should be addressed.
- Who pays the cost of necessary infrastructure upgrades to support electric vehicle charging systems? Is this a common expense payable by all owners or just those allowed to install an electric vehicle charger?
- After upgrading a building’s electrical system to support electric vehicle charging, it may still not be possible to provide a charging system for each unit. What then?
- What happens if or when demand for electric vehicle charging systems exceed the available supply?
- Can owners relinquish their access to an electric vehicle charging system? If so, is there a cost to do so and/or reimbursement for infrastructure payments previously paid?
As more people require and have access to electric vehicle charging stations in high-rise communities, these and other considerations will have to be addressed.
