In what is becoming a common trend across Canada, St. John’s city council voted on Wednesday to consider implementing new regulations that would require electric vehicle (EV) charging infrastructure in new developments.
The vote, which was unanimous, does not mean the regulations are in effect immediately. Instead, the changes will be considered during public engagements on the regulations, which are expected to be released by the province later this year.
“I think it’s just going to become part of the core infrastructure of buildings into the future, and certainly I’m supportive of adding it into our (development) regulations,” said Mayor Danny Breen.
While they haven’t been finalized yet, initial plans would require a minimum percentage of parking spaces to have EV charging infrastructure. For a new apartment building, 15% of parking spaces would need to be set aside for EVs. A restaurant, shopping centre, or place of worship would require 10%.
The move follows several other jurisdictions that have recently implemented similar regulations, like Saanich on Vancouver Island, and Nelson, British Columbia.
