DECLARATION
Montréal, March 16, 2026 - Propulsion Québec, the Canadian Charging Infrastructure Council (CCIR) and Electric Mobility Canada (EMC) welcome the amendments to Chapter V - Electricity of the Construction Code, which introduce new requirements for electric vehicle charging in residential buildings.
The new regulations renew the requirements to provide the infrastructure needed to power charging devices in single-family dwellings and buildings with four dwellings or less. It also adds new obligations for apartment buildings of five dwellings or more, which will have to provide a basic electrical infrastructure enabling the future installation of Level 2 charging devices for all parking spaces. It also recognizes the role of Electric Vehicle Energy Management Systems (EVEMS) in enabling large-scale deployment of charging infrastructure, optimizing the use of existing electrical capacity while minimizing costs for developers.
Important elements to promote recharging in all types of housing
Over the past few years, the electric vehicle charging industry has been actively working with the Quebec government to modernize the Construction Code. The provisions announced in the new Code will facilitate the deployment of charging stations in all types of housing. This is a major step forward for zero-emission mobility in Quebec.
As the adoption of electric vehicles continues to grow in Quebec and Canada, the preparation of buildings is an essential step in supporting the energy transition and facilitating access to home charging. This regulatory change also sends a positive signal to the charging ecosystem, encouraging better infrastructure planning and the development of a reliable, accessible network.
However, our organizations recommend that the Quebec government roll out the financial assistance that has been available for more than two years to upgrade electrical infrastructure in existing buildings with five or more dwellings, and set up a pilot project to support "recharging orphans", i.e. households without access to home recharging.
"Nearly 90% of electric vehicle charging takes place at home or at work. These new requirements will help improve access to charging and accelerate the adoption of zero-emission vehicles in Quebec. We salute the work of the industry and the Quebec government for this important step forward" - Alexis Laprés-Paradis, President and CEO of Propulsion Québec.
"Quebec has long been a leader in electric vehicles and charging infrastructure, and these changes once again demonstrate its leadership in building a decarbonized transportation system for the benefit of all Quebecers. Thanks to these new requirements, residents of new multi-unit buildings will have a real opportunity to access charging infrastructure and save money by driving an electric vehicle, just like owners of single-family homes. The CCIR salutes the Quebec government, industry players and all those who contributed to the development of these amendments." - Travis Allan, President and CEO of the Charging Infrastructure Council of Canada.
"We support this step forward, but must remind everyone that more than 2 years after the Quebec government's announcement of the Charging Strategy, which was financed in part by the reduction in rebates for the purchase of electric cars, it's high time that the funds announced for charging infrastructure in multi-unit buildings were released" - Daniel Breton, President and CEO of Electric Mobility Canada.
