The City of Abbotsford could soon be joining a number of other municipalities in British Columbia that require EV charging infrastructure in new residential developments.
City staff are recommending to council that townhouse and apartment developers be required to install 240V for every unit they build.
While the the installation of the outlets will cost developers extra, the costs will be significantly less than if they’re retrofitted after construction is complete. Installing a charging station in an existing building can cost as much as $7,000, but adding the infrastructure during construction will cost 1/3 or less that amount, reports The Abbotsford News.
The idea is still at the consultation phase, with the Development, Transportation and Infrastructure Advisory Committee first hearing the proposal last week. The committee endorsed the idea, suggesting a pilot program be initiated to test out the rules before it is approved by city council as official policy.
There are a number of jurisdictions in the province that already have EV charging requirements in both residential and commercial developments. Saanich, on Vancouver Island implemented a policy earlier this year, with Nelson in the interior of the province following suit a few months later.
