Get ready to go electric: new EV Ready rebate top-ups for multifamily buildings

September 28, 2021

Media release

For immediate release

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Get ready to go electric: new EV Ready rebate top-ups for multifamily buildings

Saanich, BC – The Capital Regional District has the highest rate of new electric vehicle (EV) registrations on a percentage basis in Canada, and the trend towards EV adoption is expected to continue. As technology advances and the EV network grows, more residents are deciding that now is the time to go electric, and the District of Saanich is helping people make that switch. Saanich is pleased to announce municipal top-up rebates are now available to multifamily buildings looking to install EV chargers.

Access to at-home EV charging is a critical factor for most households in choosing an EV for their next vehicle, which is why Saanich is topping up existing provincial rebates provided through the CleanBC Go Electric EV Charger Rebate Program.

The CleanBC Go Electric EV Charger Rebate Program is funded by the Ministry of Energy, Mines and Low Carbon Innovation and administered by BC Hydro in this region. The program provides rebates for an EV Ready plan, the electrical upgrades needed to make the building EV Ready and the EV chargers. An EV Ready Plan outlines how your building will provide each residential unit with at least one EV Ready parking space and is required to be eligible for an EV Ready infrastructure rebate.

Once the electrical infrastructure is installed, building residents can install Level 2 charging stations in their parking stalls at any time. To help buildings get started and ensure guidance and support is available at each step of the process, access to a CleanBC EV Advisor is available at no cost.

To streamline support for multifamily buildings getting ready for EVs, the new municipal rebates are integrated with existing provincial rebates:

  • Up to $3,000 (or 75% of the costs) for an EV Ready Plan to guide decision-making PLUS a $1,000 top-up incentive from the District of Saanich.
  • Up to $600 per parking space (up to $80,000 per building or 50% of costs) to implement EV Ready upgrades PLUS a $100/stall top-up incentive from the District of Saanich.
  • Up to $14,000 in incentives for EV charging stations.

“We’re working with our municipal partners like the District of Saanich to make it easier for British Columbians to switch to electric vehicles,” said Bruce Ralston, Minister of Energy, Mines and Low Carbon Innovation. “Through our CleanBC plan, we are making electric vehicle charging infrastructure more accessible and more affordable, reducing climate pollution and building a sustainable economy.”

Providing rebates for EV Ready building retrofits is one of the ways the Province and the District of Saanich are helping people transition to electric vehicles and towards a low-carbon future. Currently, several buildings in Saanich have begun the process to prepare their buildings to meet the growing demand to charge EVs at home.

As a condo owner having led his building to become the first in Saanich to complete a 100% EV Ready building retrofit, Jim Church is encouraging other stratas to consider doing the same: “EV Ready retrofits are an excellent opportunity to future-proof your building and ensure it’s ready to support electric vehicles, and hopefully the additional rebates being offered will prompt more buildings to begin the process.”

Saanich recognizes the unique challenges that condominium strata owners face in moving forward with building upgrades, and is confident the new funding for EV Ready Plans will help more buildings get started with the support of the program’s EV Advisor.  

“As part of our commitment to climate action, we’re proud to be the first local government in BC to offer incentives for EV Ready retrofits in multifamily buildings. This new top-up incentive will benefit condo owners taking steps to make their homes EV Ready and is a great example of how we can work together to achieve our goal of cutting community GHG emissions in half by 2030,” said District of Saanich Mayor Fred Haynes.

Personal vehicle transportation is currently the most significant source of GHG emissions in Saanich, however this may change. The Province’s Zero-Emission Vehicles Act requires 100% of light-duty vehicle sales to be electric by 2040. In addition, the Federal government recently announced the introduction of similar legislation that requires 100% of passenger car and truck sales to be zero-emissions by 2035.

If you’re ready to go electric and begin the process of planning upgrades to support EV charging in your building, there are provincial and municipal rebates to help.

Register for an upcoming webinar on EV Ready Retrofits in Condominium Strata Buildings and learn more at saanich.ca/ev

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Media contact
Erika Schade
Communications Manager
erika.schade@saanich.ca
250-475-7638