Electrical planning reports: deadlines and requirements for BC stratas
Heat pumps and electric vehicles all draw on the same building electrical service, which was sized decades ago for neither. The electrical planning report tells a strata how much capacity it has left and what its options are.
Last reviewed November 10, 2026, against the current Strata Property Act, Strata Property Regulation and Standard Bylaws on BC Laws.
The short answer
Under section 94.1 of the Strata Property Act, an existing strata corporation with five or more strata lots must obtain an electrical planning report from a qualified person by December 31, 2026 if any of its land is in the Capital, Fraser Valley or Metro Vancouver regional districts (excluding islands reached only by air or boat), and by December 31, 2028 elsewhere. New stratas have five years from deposit of the strata plan. The cost may be paid from the operating fund, or the reserve fund by majority vote.
Who must get one, and by when
| Strata | Deadline |
|---|---|
| Existing strata (established on or before December 31, 2023), land wholly or partly in a specified area | December 31, 2026 |
| Existing strata, wholly outside a specified area | December 31, 2028 |
| New strata (established after December 31, 2023) | 5 years after deposit of the strata plan |
| Existing strata with fewer than 5 strata lots on December 31, 2023 | Exempt |
| New strata with fewer than 5 strata lots on the date of deposit | Exempt |
The specified areas are the Capital Regional District other than islands accessible only by air or boat, the Fraser Valley Regional District, and the Metro Vancouver Regional District other than islands accessible only by air or boat (Regulation 5.7 and 5.8). Phased strata plans have their own rules in Regulation 5.9.
Unlike depreciation reports, there is no vote available to defer or waive the requirement.
What the report contains
For a typical building with a shared electrical service, the report must include (Regulation 5.11):
- the date, the name and qualifications of the person who prepared it, their errors and omissions insurance if any, and their relationship to the strata,
- the current capacity of the strata's electrical system,
- a list of existing demands, including EV charging and heating, cooling, ventilation and lighting systems,
- the current peak demand and spare capacity,
- an estimate of the capacity that would be needed to power systems now run on another energy source, such as gas heating,
- an estimate of capacity needed for anticipated future demands, including heat pumps and EV charging,
- steps to reduce demand,
- upgrades or modifications that could increase capacity, and
- an estimate of the capacity those steps and upgrades would make available.
Simplified report. If each strata lot is supplied with electricity by a utility independently from every other lot, as in many townhouse and bare land stratas, the report need only contain the date and preparer details and a statement to that effect.
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Who can prepare it
| Building type | Qualified person |
|---|---|
| Every building is a Part 9 building under the BC Building Code (generally smaller buildings of three storeys or less) | A professional engineer or professional licensee engineering, an applied science technologist or certified technician registered with ASTTBC, or a journeyperson construction or industrial electrician |
| Any other strata | A professional engineer or professional licensee engineering, or an ASTTBC applied science technologist or certified technician |
See Regulation 5.10 for the exact wording. Ask any provider to confirm in writing that they meet the definition for your building type.
Paying for it
The cost of obtaining an electrical planning report is an operating fund expense (section 92). It can be:
- included in the annual budget, approved by majority vote, or
- paid from the contingency reserve fund if first approved by a majority vote at a general meeting (section 96).
If neither has been done and the deadline is close, council's limited authority for unapproved expenditures under section 98 may cover a modest fee. Otherwise call a special general meeting.
Steps for council
- Confirm whether you are exempt and which deadline applies.
- Gather information providers will ask for: electrical drawings, the utility's records of peak demand, a list of major equipment, and numbers of parking stalls.
- Obtain proposals from two or three qualified providers. Compare scope, timing and price, and check insurance.
- Approve the expenditure and the provider by motion.
- Receive and review the report at a council meeting.
- Tell the owners the report has been obtained and where to see it.
- Use it: in EV charging decisions, heat pump approvals and the next depreciation report.
Providers are busy as each deadline approaches. Leaving it to the last quarter risks missing the date.
Sample minute wording: MOVED and SECONDED that council engage Pacific Electrical Consulting Ltd. to prepare an electrical planning report meeting the requirements of section 94.1 of the Strata Property Act and the Strata Property Regulation, at a cost of $4,200 plus GST, to be paid from the operating fund as budgeted. CARRIED (5 in favour, 0 opposed).
The report as a record
An electrical planning report the strata has obtained is a record it must keep, along with other reports on EV charging and electricity management (section 35). Owners may request a copy under section 36, and buyers and their agents will ask for it alongside the depreciation report.
The link to EV charging
The report's date matters for owners wanting chargers. An owner may make a formal EV charging request on or after the earlier of the date the strata first obtains the report and the date it was required to obtain it (Regulation 5.4). The strata may consider the electrical system's capacity and demands when deciding. See EV charging.
If the strata misses the deadline
The Act does not set a fine for the strata. The consequences are practical: the strata is in breach of a statutory duty that an owner can ask the Civil Resolution Tribunal to enforce, owners' EV request rights begin from the deadline whether or not the report exists, council has no evidence on which to assess those requests, and buyers will ask why the report is missing.
Questions councils and owners ask
When is the electrical planning report due?
December 31, 2026 for existing stratas in the Capital, Fraser Valley and Metro Vancouver regional districts, and December 31, 2028 for those elsewhere.
Which stratas are exempt?
Existing stratas with fewer than five strata lots on December 31, 2023, and new stratas with fewer than five lots at deposit.
Who can prepare an electrical planning report?
Engineers and registered technologists, and for stratas made up only of Part 9 buildings, journeyperson electricians.
Can the reserve fund pay for it?
Yes, if approved by a majority vote. It can also be an operating expense in the budget.
Do townhouses with separate meters need a full report?
If every strata lot is supplied independently by a utility, only a short report stating that is required.
The deadline is a council decision away
Approving the report, choosing the provider and reporting to owners all belong in the minutes. StrataMinutes prepares them from your notes.
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This page is general information for BC strata corporations, not legal advice. Your strata's own filed bylaws may differ from the Standard Bylaws. See the current text of the Strata Property Act and the Strata Property Regulation on BC Laws.
Related guides
EV Charging
Depreciation Reports
Strata Annual Calendar
Strata Property Act 2026
Reserve Fund Spending Rules
Hiring Contractors