Before you Start, This is What You Need to Know:
Hire a licensed electrician:
An EV charging station is a high voltage appliance that has similar electrical requirements to a clothes dryer or stove (240 Volts/30 Amps). Like all electrical appliances, a charging station is potentially dangerous if not installed correctly. As such, it is important to hire a licensed electrician. The cost to install can vary dramatically from case to case and we strongly advise having two or three electricians visit and assess your property to provide an installation quote.
Look for a certification mark:
Before an electrical product or piece of equipment is used, sold, displayed or advertised for sale in Canada, it needs to be approved by a certification agency. An EV charging station is no different. Make sure that the station you are buying carries the official mark of a recognized accreditation agency. You can visit the Electrical Safety Authority for a full list of certification marks: esasafe.com/approvalmarks. All charging stations sold through the Charge My Car online store are accredited and approved for sale in Canada.
Ensure you have adequate electrical supply:
Electric vehicles use a lot of power and most home’s require an electrical panel upgrade. If you do need a panel upgrade, you need to contact your local electricity distributor to inform them. A licensed electrician can help you with this.
Visit the links below to find a licensed electrician near you:
Alberta: Electrical Contractors Association of Alberta
British Columbia: Electrical Contractors Association of British Columbia
Manitoba: Electrical Association of Manitoba
New Brunswick: Electrical Contractors Association of New Brunswick
Nova Scotia: Department of Labor and Advanced Education
Newfoundland: Government of Newfoundland and Labrador
Ontario: Electrical Safety Authority
In Ontario, if you’re hiring someone to do electrical work in your home, by law, it must be an electrician with ECRA/ESA certification. You must also file a notification of work with ESA. An ESA-certified electrician will be able to help you with this.
Québec: Corporation des Maîtres Électriciens du Québec
Saskatchewan: Electrical Contractors Association of Saskatchewan
