Why EV-Ready Buildings Are Key to Canada’s EV Future

A recent report from B.C.-based think tank Clean Energy Canada is making waves in the EV industry by calling for a bold but necessary step: mandating that all new condo and apartment buildings be 100% EV-ready. Titled Electrifying the Lot, the report highlights one of the biggest barriers to EV adoption—lack of access to home charging for apartment and condo residents—and outlines policy recommendations for governments, developers, and property managers to eliminate that gap.

Here's a breakdown of key findings of the report and why EV-ready buildings are key to Canada's EV future.

Key Findings of the Report

Electrifying the Lot is a March 2025 publication from Clean Energy Canada that outlines the critical need for EV charging access in apartments and condos as EV adoption increases. The report finds that while 81% of EV drivers currently live in detached homes, 34% of Canadian households live in apartment-style buildings—many of which lack the EV infrastructure needed to support home charging. The report calls on all levels of government to standardize EV-readiness requirements in new construction and fund retrofits for existing buildings.

What’s more, apartment living is especially common among younger Canadians—the demographic who’s most eager to go electric. In Metro Vancouver, 60% of people aged 20 to 44 live in apartment buildings, compared to 49% of those over 44 years old. According to a Clean Energy Canada survey, 77% of people aged 18 to 44 in the region are inclined to switch to EVs, compared to just 62% of those aged 45 and up. In other words, the Canadians most ready to embrace EVs are the ones most likely to be held back by a lack of home charging options.

This gap highlights a serious equity issue in the EV transition—one that policy and infrastructure must urgently address.

What is an EV-Ready Building?

Being EV ready means more than just having a charger—it means the infrastructure is in place to support EV charging today and expand for the future.

EV Charger Installed: This refers to a parking space that is already equipped with a hardwired EV charger—typically a Level 2 unit (or sometimes a Level 1). These chargers are ready to use immediately and provide reliable overnight charging at home.

EV-Ready Parking Space: This is a parking space that includes the necessary electrical infrastructure—such as a nearby junction box or outlet—where a Level 2 charger can easily be installed in the future. More importantly, this also means the building must have sufficient electrical capacity to support the charger when it's added.

Installing this infrastructure during construction is significantly more cost-effective than retrofitting later, which is why Clean Energy Canada and others are pushing for EV readiness to become a standard requirement in all new multi-unit buildings.

Why Condo Charging is Critical for Cities

For single-family homeowners, EV ownership is simple: install a charger in your garage and plug in overnight. For condo and apartment residents, it’s a very different story. The report highlights real-world examples, like Abhay Gambhir, a Vancouver resident who drives to Richmond just to charge his Tesla because his condo landlord has yet to approve an on-site charger. This isn’t just a single issue; across Canada, millions of condo and apartment residents face similar roadblocks.

Home EV charging makes EV ownership significantly more practical—and accessible. EV-ready buildings would open doors to a much broader market of potential EV buyers who are currently sidelined by infrastructure limitations. Enabling convenient charging at home is key to accelerating adoption and helping Canada reach its zero-emission vehicle goals.

Investing in EV Infrastructure

Investing in EV infrastructure for condos and apartments benefits not only residents but also property managers and developers. For residents, it eliminates the hassle of searching for public charging stations and ensures the convenience of overnight charging. For property managers, installing EV charging stations enhances property value and attracts eco-conscious tenants. As EV adoption rises, buildings without charging infrastructure may become less desirable, making proactive investments in EV-ready buildings a smart long-term strategy.

Learn more about how EV chargers increase home value.