Bill 22 - Electrical Planning Report (EPR)
B.C. passed legislation May 11, 2023, to enable strata corporations to more easily install electric vehicle (EV) charging. As of December 6, 2023, regulations now specify the process for strata corporations to approve EV charging and require strata corporations, with more five or more units, to obtain an electrical planning report. Here are what you need to know:
Who Bill 22 will be applied to: Any strata corporations in BC with five or more units.
Deadline: No later than December 31, 2026 for strata corporations in the Capital Regional District and Fraser Valley Regional District ... - Metro Vancouver.
Can any strata corporations exempt from an EPR by 3/4 Vote? - No.
How often the EPR must be perform? - It is a one time evaluation.
Legal basis:
Section 94.1 of the Strata Property Act, reading as follows:
94.1 Electrical planning report
(1) In this section, "qualified person" has the meaning set out in the regulations.
(2) Subject to the regulations, a strata corporation must obtain from a qualified person, on or before the dates determined in accordance with the regulations, an electrical planning report.
(3) An electrical planning report referred to in subsection (2) must contain the information set out in the regulations.
Section 5.10 and 5.11 of the Strata Property Regulation, reading as follows:
5.10 Electrical planning report — qualified person
(1) In this section:
"building code" means the British Columbia Building Code established by the order of the Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing numbered BA 2018 1 and dated July 16, 2018;
"Part 9 building" means a building described in Article 1.3.3.3. of Division A of the building code, whether or not the building code applies to the building.
(2) For the purposes of section 94.1 (1) of the Act, "qualified person" means,
(a) in the case of a strata corporation established by a strata plan in which each building is a Part 9 building, a person who meets at least one of the following requirements:
(i) the person is a professional engineer who holds qualifications in electrical engineering and is a member in good standing with the Association of Professional Engineers and Geoscientists of the Province of British Columbia;
(ii) the person is registered as an applied science technologist under the Professional Governance Act;
(iii) the person is a journeyperson, as that term is defined in the Skilled Trades BC Act, in the construction electrician or industrial electrician trade, or
(b) in the case of any other strata corporation, a person who meets at least one of the requirements referred to in paragraph (a) (i) and (ii).
[en. B.C. Reg. 261/2023, App., s. 2.]
5.11 Content of report — general
(1) In this section, "utility" means
(a) a public utility, within the meaning of section 1 (1) of the Utilities Commission Act, and
(b) a municipality or regional district that, but for paragraph (c) of the definition of "public utility" in section 1 (1) of the Utilities Commission Act, would be a public utility within the meaning of that section.
(2) For the purposes of section 94.1 (3) of the Act and subject to section 5.12 of this regulation, an electrical planning report must include the following information:
(a) the date of the electrical planning report;
(b) the name of the person from whom the electrical planning report was obtained and a description of
(i) the person's qualifications,
(ii) the error and omission insurance, if any, carried by the person, and
(iii) the relationship between the person and the strata corporation;
(c) the current capacity of the strata corporation's electrical system;
(d) a list of existing demands on the electrical system, including, without limitation, demands from
(i) EV charging infrastructure, if any, and
(ii) heating, cooling, ventilation and lighting systems;
(e) the current peak demand on and spare capacity of the electrical system;
(f) if applicable, an estimate of the electrical capacity that would be needed to power systems, including heating, cooling and ventilation systems, that are currently powered by an energy source other than electricity;
(g) an estimate of the electrical capacity needed for any other anticipated future demands on the electrical system, including electrical capacity needed to power
(i) heating, cooling, ventilation and other systems that the strata corporation anticipates may be modified or installed in the future, and
(ii) EV charging infrastructure that the strata corporation anticipates may be installed in the future;
(h) steps, if any, that the strata corporation could practicably take to reduce the demands on the capacity of the electrical system;
(i) upgrades or modifications, if any, to the electrical system that the strata corporation could practicably undertake to increase the capacity of the electrical system;
(j) an estimate of the electrical capacity that would be made available if the strata corporation were to take steps referred to in paragraph (h) or undertake upgrades or modifications referred to in paragraph (i).
(3) Despite subsection (2) of this section, if each strata lot in the strata plan is supplied with electricity by a utility independently from each other strata lot, the electrical planning report is only required to include the following information:
(a) the information referred to in subsection (2) (a) and (b) of this section;
(b) a statement that each strata lot is supplied with electricity by a utility independently from each other strata lot.
[en. B.C. Reg. 261/2023, App., s. 2.]
Reference documents: Introduction to Electrical Planning Reports by CHOA