With the rising number of EVs registered in Canada (and forecasts indicating that we’ll surpass the EV Availability Standard sales target by 25% in 2026), there is a growing need to expand EV charging nationwide. Access to charging needs to be convenient and affordable, which for most people, means access to a charger at home. With about a third of people in Canada living in apartments and condos, the demand for charging in multi-family buildings, especially in cities, is going to be huge.
TAF’s team has seen the demand firsthand through our EV Station Fund. The program is wrapping up at the end of 2024, after being fully subscribed and supporting the installation of 828 chargers across the GTHA. We heard directly from funding recipients that the program addressed the basic need for reliable charging, and delivered a welcome amenity to their residences, workplaces, and neighbourhoods. It reduced or eliminated their reliance on gas-powered vehicles—an important step in cutting transportation emissions as they continue to rise in the GTHA.
Most installations were level 2 chargers in multi-family buildings, with a few in public places, fleets, and workplaces. We know at-home charging is a priority for most residents, which is relatively simple for a single car on your own property. Dealing with larger buildings though, we learned a lot about the financial and technical complexity of upgrading parking garages to accommodate multiple chargers.
Some EV Station Fund recipients reported that they wanted to expand EV charging installations to meet their buildings’ future charging needs but they lacked the upfront capital to do so. After doing these upgrades mostly in a “piecemeal” fashion, we know we need to adopt a more holistic approach.
A recent report developed for TAF, Low-Carbon Cities Canada (LC3), and the Green Municipal Fund (GMF) found that the best way to equip multi-family building owners and residents with home charging is through a comprehensive approach that makes all parking spaces in the building EV-ready (each parking space has an energized outlet that supports the easy installation of future Level 2 chargers).
Whole building EV-ready upgrades are at the centre of the effort to meet local and national climate targets, while delivering equity goals for transportation. The research report recommended that “To keep pace with the EV-ready retrofits that are needed, interventions should enable whole building, comprehensive retrofits over a fragmented approach.”
Building on the lessons learned through EV Station Fund, we know that sustained federal funding will be needed to support EV charging infrastructure focused on multi-family buildings. Financing options are also needed. TAF is preparing to pilot a comprehensive approach in different types of multi-family buildings across the GTHA, and we want to hear from investors, building owners, and condo boards that might like to participate.
The report also set out some action items for local governments. We’ll cover more ground faster once GTHA municipalities and utilities have adopted EV-ready requirements for new construction, piloted local charging-as-a-service models, and developed training and resources to help condo boards and rental housing owners get up to speed on the benefits of EV-ready upgrades.
The experience so far shows that there is increasing demand for access to EV charging infrastructure. We know the best way to meet this demand, if the federal government, cities, and building owners and operators all do their part.
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