Description
It is much less expensive to design new buildings to accommodate electric vehicle charging infrastructure than it is to add it afterwards. Once the right electrical conduits, capacity and outlets are in place, it is easy to add charging stations down the road as demand increases. Regulations that are part of the development review application process can require new parking spaces to be built in this way.
This work will be led by Area Municipalities, in collaboration with the Region of Waterloo. Please see below for the most publicly available updates.
THE REGION OF WATERLOO
Green Development Standards Phase one project is complete and moving on to Phase two (community engagement and design). A Green Development Standard (GDS), is a planning and / or design policy consisting of comprehensive principles to ensure all developments align with community environmental, energy, and sustainability goals, including designing new buildings to accommodate electric vehicle charging infrastructure.
CITY OF CAMBRIDGE
City Council directed staff (April 2023) to examine an EV standard that would require all new developments, retail locations, and city parking lots possess a certain number or percentage of parking spots for Electric Vehicle charging stations including those spots designated as accessible. Ultimately, the Official Plan review (2024) and subsequently the Zoning By-law would have to be updated with new standards. The City is also part of the WR Community Energy Green Development Standards initiative and so it is anticipated that any EV charging station standards would be consistent across the Waterloo Region municipalities.
CITY OF WATERLOO
In the City of Waterloo, as per By-Law NO.2020-061 all structure parking spaces for apartment buildings, multi-use residential buildings, mixed use buildings, and non-residential buildings constructed on or after January 1st, 2021 shall be Designated Electric Vehicle Parking Spaces. This is a parking space designed and constructed to be electric vehicle ready, allowing for the future installation of electric vehicle supply equipment that conforms to Section 86 of the Electrical Safety Code.
TOWNSHIP OF WOOLWICH
The Township of Woolwich has proposed regulations in new zoning by-law, however currently the Landscape and Design Guidelines do recommend EV charger ready stations and bicycle parking for industrial and commercial. New Official Plan may consider seeking new homes to have EV chargers installed, however, Building Code may require.