Dear Maria; I’m hearing so much talk about Electric Vehicles (EV) is this something that we as a Board should be considering?

Answer Lets face it, with the way technology is progressing these days gas powered vehicles are no longer the only option available to the ecologically-conscious, tech savvy individual. Electric Vehicles are climbing in popularity.

On March 26, 2018, the province of Ontario released new regulations aimed at facilitating the installation of electric vehicle charging stations in existing condos. Am I shocked? No! To my understanding the City of Calgary is  putting a strategy for electric vehicle in places. City data suggests that there are around 750 electric vehicles registered in Alberta and climbing.

Electric vehicles are cars that run off of electricity, instead of gasoline. They are powered by rechargeable batteries, which are charged by everyday electricity. Some types of electric vehicles also include a gasoline engine to extend the car’s maximum driving range. Charging stations are used to supply electricity to the car and can be built into someone’s home and can be found in public spaces.

According to the city, one of the objectives includes encouraging quicker adoption of electric vehicles to aid in reducing greenhouse gas emissions. According to the City, the objectives
of the Electric Vehicle Strategy are to:
• respond to the growing demand for electric vehicle infrastructure and services,
• encourage/support faster adoption of electric vehicles to aid in reducing greenhouse gas emissions,
• build partnerships across Alberta to provide an electric vehicle charging network within the province that connects to other provinces or states,
• establish what role The City, partner organizations and the private sector should play in providing electric vehicle infrastructure and services, and
• increase awareness and create enthusiasm among the public and industry about electric vehicles.

In my personal opinion, it’s only a matter of time before Alberta adopts the same type of regulations that Ontario has and mandates that Alberta condos add a charging station in
their parking facility. With that said, should boards start talking about adding charging stations in their condominium buildings? Or remain in the past and ignore future expectations
of a changing world. Transportation is changing quickly, and charging a car rather than filling up the tank seems to be the way of the future. Something to consider!