Quebec’s New EV-ready building code is visionary, pragmatic, and a model for how to prepare for our electric future
In early March, the Quebec government announced EV-ready building code draft regulations aimed at expanding the number of charging stations in multi-family dwellings throughout the province.
Quebec is by far the Canadian leader in EV ownership, with about 42.7% of all EVs on Canadian roads being registered in Quebec. This makes addressing current gaps in charging availability absolutely critical, both for ensuring current charging accessibility and for maintaining the momentum in electrifying transportation in the province.
Our position: The draft regulations are strong, visionary, and perhaps most importantly, offer a compelling view of the costs associated with not taking immediate action to bolster the number of charging stations in Quebec.
EV-readiness could save Quebec nearly $1 billion over five years
The most significant elements of the draft code include:
- A 100% EV-readiness requirement for new construction
- Adherence to the existing Canadian Electrical Code for electric vehicle energy management systems
- Per the Regulatory Impact Analysis (RIA), an expected cost of $785 million over five years, averaging out to about $157 million per year
The cost is notable, but the RIA also points out that the cost of not implementing these measures would lead to far greater expense down the road—an estimated $1.6 billion over five years.
Simply put, as EV adoption increases, there will be an unavoidable need for charging stations to be installed, particularly in multifamily and commercial areas where access to charging is lagging behind demand. Paying for the cost of EV readiness upfront is a far more efficient use of resources.
To top this all off, implementing these draft regulations will lead to the creation of an additional 300 electrician jobs and 50 engineering jobs in the province.
What the rest of the country should borrow from this proposal
Quebec might have the most pressing need for sorting out EV charging, but the rest of the country will catch up before long. In developing their own EV-readiness policies, regulations, and plans, there are a number of elements of this draft from Quebec that I think other provinces and territories ought to use as inspiration.
Encouraging EV energy management systems (EVEMS) and requiring networking
Supporting networking and EV energy management systems (EVEMs) will result in Canada’s growing network of chargers being deeply connected to the grid and able to adjust their energy usage based on either on-premises activity or grid-level demand.
This is a powerful tool for ensuring energy consumption doesn’t exceed what is comfortably available and will help us electrify transportation more quickly and more efficiently than we could hope to do otherwise.
Aiming for 100% EV-readiness
By implementing an upfront requirement for EV readiness, we make it easier and more affordable to get to a state where at-home charging is abundant. Having to retrofit properties to install chargers simply takes more time and money than installing them as a property is being built.
Targeting 100% EV-readiness puts Quebec on the best path toward abundant charging infrastructure. Applied nationwide, this approach would ensure Canadians everywhere have remarkable levels of charging access in a fast-approaching future where just about everyone drives an EV.
Comprehensive requirements, clear definitions, and participation from industry, builders, and utilities
These draft regulations reflect a comprehensive vision and approach to installing EV charging capacity, but they also get two additional, critical pieces right:
Every requirement is clearly defined, removing ambiguity from these new requirements
The draft was composed with input from industry, builders, and utilities, ensuring expectations remain realistic and the undertaking is approached in a collaborative spirit
EV charging projects are not built in a vacuum. Many groups with many different concerns are involved, and they deserve both a chance to be heard and to have crystal clear expectations once a building code is finalized. Quebec offers a strong example of how to pull off both of these elements.
Overall, these regulations are compelling, and I expect they will be passed to help Quebec keep up its remarkable progress in electrifying personal transportation in the province. I hope the rest of the country takes notice and borrows the most compelling elements for plans of their own when the time soon comes for them to make their own ambitious plans for encouraging widespread installation of EV charging.
Ready to implement EV charging infrastructure that meets Quebec’s new building code regulations?
Connect with the SWTCH team today to discuss your project needs and discover how our smart charging solutions can help future-proof your buildings.
Written by
Mike Frisina
Director of Policy, Canada
