With the expectation that residents will be gradually making the shift towards electric vehicles, local home builders were happy to see city council compromise on how to ensure new homes will be EV ready.

It was proposed that new builds have a pre-wired, energized electrical outlet for EV charging. At the July 19 meeting, Council passed an amendment to the proposed changes in a 5-4 vote.

Mayor Ken Christian and councillors Dieter Dudy, Mike O’Reilly, Bill Sarai and Denis Walsh all voted in favour of the amendment which will mandate “rough in” wiring for a charging outlet, but not require the outlet itself.

Incoming President of the Canadian Home Builders Association – Central Interior Tom Calne says this will help protect from changing technology.

“I think what we need to understand that by just doing the rough in and providing that wire… I used to live in a house where the panel was in the basement. Like, what a nightmare that would be to bring a wire from a basement and up into a garage. I would have to rip apart drywall. So what we’re saying is, we’re going to do all that work for you.”

Calne says this way, when someone buys an electric vehicle, they have the wire behind the wall and regardless of where your panel is you will have a spot in your garage that you can install a charging unit.

“We’ve provided an option where we can provide EV readiness while reducing waste and protecting housing affordability. I would also like to thank councillors Sarai and O’Reilly for viewing the issue through the lens of housing affordability.”

These issues surrounding electric vehicle charging at home has been debated for a few years, according to the city’s climate and sustainability manager. Glen Cheetham says it means that the infrastructure in place so when the time comes, it won’t be a huge extra cost to the homeowner.

“Maybe it’s not electrified or energized at the end, but it has to have those fundamental parts so that when the demand is there it can be provided without a really serious retro-fit. You’re not breaking walls and that kind of stuff, it needs to be pretty straight forward.”

The changes will come into effect next year.