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
High Performance Development Standards Phase one project is complete and moving on to Phase two (community engagement and design). A High Performance Development Standard (HPDS), 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 to examine an Electric Vehicle (EV) standard that would require all new developments, retail locations, and city parking lots possess a certain number or percentage of parking spots for EV charging stations, including those spots designated as accessible. Ultimately, the Official Plan review and subsequently the Zoning By-law would have to be updated with new standards. The DRAFT Zoning By-law (April 2025) includes Section 5.12 – Electric Vehicle Parking Requirements for EV-ready infrastructure in new developments. The City is also part of the WR Community Energy High Performance Standards initiative, and it is anticipated that any EV charging station standards would be consistent across Waterloo Region.
CITY OF KITCHENER
The City of Kitchener's Zoning Bylaw 2019-051 requires a minimum of 20 percent of parking spaces required for multiple dwellings to be designed for the future installation of electric vehicle supply equipment (EV-ready). Non-residential uses require 2.5 percent of parking spaces for electric vehicle charging and 17.5 percent of spaces to be EV-ready.
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.
TOWNSHIP OF WELLESLEY
- The Township of Wellesley in collaboration with the other municipalities are creating a High Performance Development Standards that will address green initiatives.
- The Township of Wellesley has installed our first two EV charging stations at the Township of Wellesley Recreation Complex with six more electrical conduits in place to add more charging stations down the road.