What is an Electrical Planning Report?

An Electrical Planning Report is a mandatory assessment of a strata building's electrical system, required under Section 94.1 of the Strata Property Act for all BC strata corporations with five or more strata lots. It is not just about EV charging — it gives your strata council a clear picture of your current electrical capacity, your spare capacity, and what will be needed as demands grow over the coming years.

A completed EPR is also the legal trigger that allows individual owners to formally request EV charging infrastructure in their parking stall. Without an EPR in place, those requests cannot proceed.

The report covers your current electrical service and peak demand, existing major loads (heating, hot water, laundry, lighting), projected future demands including EV chargers and heat pumps, demand reduction strategies, and any recommended upgrades to increase capacity.

What qualifies as a Part 9 building?

Part 9 refers to the building classification under the BC Building Code. Most residential strata townhouse complexes and low-rise condo buildings fall into this category.

A Part 9 building is a residential building that is three storeys or less in height and has a floor area of 600 m² or less per storey. The vast majority of strata townhouse complexes and low-rise walk-up condominiums on Vancouver Island qualify as Part 9 buildings.

This matters because a qualified electrician — such as those at Flex Electric — is legally qualified to prepare EPRs for Part 9 buildings under BC Regulation 5.10. Larger or more complex Part 3 buildings (typically mid-rise or high-rise concrete construction) require a professional engineer. For most residential strata complexes on Vancouver Island, a qualified electrical contractor is fully authorised to complete the report — and typically at a significantly lower cost than an engineering firm.

The EPR process — what to expect

1. Initial consultation- We meet with your strata council or property manager to understand your building's current priorities — whether that's EV charging for owners, upcoming heating system replacements, or simply meeting your legal compliance deadline.

2. Site visit and electrical assessment - We inspect your main electrical service, distribution panels, metering, and common area infrastructure. We review your BC Hydro 12-month demand data and assess your current capacity, peak demand, and spare capacity in accordance with the Canadian Electrical Code.

3. Report preparation - We prepare a fully compliant EPR documenting your existing system, current and future load estimates, electrification requirements, demand reduction strategies, and any recommended upgrades — following the CHOA guidance document issued February 2025.

4. Delivery and follow-up You receive a professional signed report ready to attach to your Form B. We walk your council through the findings and, if required, can quote directly on any recommended electrical upgrades or EV charging installations — no need to start the process again with a different contractor.

EV charging and electrical upgrades

The EPR is often just the beginning. Once your strata understands its electrical capacity, the next step is typically planning for EV charging infrastructure — one of the most common requests from strata owners across the CRD right now.

Flex Electric can design and install Level 2 EV charging infrastructure in strata parkades, including EV Energy Management Systems (EVEMS) that allow more chargers to be supported without a costly service upgrade. We are experienced in the CleanBC Go Electric EV charger rebate program and the federal ZEVIP funding stream, which together can cover up to 50% or more of eligible installation costs for qualifying strata corporations.

Whether your strata needs a panel upgrade, new sub-circuits for EV charging, LED lighting upgrades, or a full EV Ready plan to unlock rebate funding — Flex Electric can handle it all as a single point of contact.

Get your EPR sorted before the December 31,2026 deadline