At the end of 2023, the federal government unveiled its plans to reduce carbon emissions across Canada. Within the agenda, is the new mandate that vehicles solely powered by gas will no longer be available on the market as of 2035. The clock is ticking quickly, and households along with businesses in Edmonton and Northern Alberta are getting ready for the sweeping transition. While the purchase or lease of an electrical vehicle (EV) is one thing, residential and commercial property owners realize that they must install EV charging stations to accommodate said vehicles.
What EV charger permit requirements exist in Edmonton AB? Below is a breakdown of what you need to know.
Permits and Requirements for Residential and Commercial EV Charger Installation in Edmonton Alberta
I. Detached Home and Townhouse Residential
Under the Alberta Safety Codes Act and Permit Regulations, an electrical permit is required to install, alter, or add to an EV charger. To remain valid, the installation must commence within 90 days of the permit issue date. The permit will expire after one year or if within the year, the installation has been suspended or abandoned for a period of 120 days prior to completion.
A different permit is required for new construction homes, and existing homes. Homes may either be a detached house, garden suite, a single address on a semi-detached house, or row house. Click the following as it applies to your needs as a homeowner and occupant:
Electrical Permit for New Construction Home
Extra Tip: Homeowners who apply for their own electrical permits must own and occupy the property and be completing the work themselves. To avoid the hassle of obtaining the permit and doing the work, connect to a qualified EV installer who will take care of the entire installation.
II. Multifamily Residential
Under the Alberta Safety Codes Act and Permit Regulations, apartment-style condominiums, stacked, semi-detached and row housing dwelling units do not qualify for the same electrical homeowner permits addressed above. Instead, strata apartments or buildings, and condo / multi-unit residential environments fall under the commercial grade EV changing solutions classification. Read below for this information.
III. Commercial
Multi-residential properties and businesses (office buildings, retail complexes, etc.) must abide by the guidelines set forth under the City of Edmonton “Electrical - Commercial Permits & Inspections” category. You can access all of the details here. When projects have a general contractor, EV charger permits are issued in conjunction with the building permit, and so you should contact your contractor to be added to the electrical permit application. In fact, this leads us to the least complicated course of action - connect to BLDG Electric to manage EV charger permits and related requirements. We specializes in commercial-grade EV charging station installation and help assist commercial, multi-residential, and mixed commercial-residential property managers select, install, and maintain Level 2 and Level 3 chargers. We provide need-specific recommendations based on City of Edmonton permitting in addition to EV compatibility along with user charging speed requirements, your budget, and more.
Ready to move forward with EV charger installation? If your home, multifamily, or commercial property is in the Edmonton or Northern Alberta area, contact BLDG Electric for a consultation.