Every BC strata corporation with five or more lots needs an Electrical Planning Report. But the Province did not design one report for everyone. The Strata Property Regulation sets out two pathways, and for some stratas the second one is a much shorter road.
The two pathways
- A strata with shared common electrical infrastructure. A main service and panels the strata owns feed the units. These stratas need the full report under section 5.11(2) of the regulation: capacity, existing and peak demand, future demand, demand reduction and upgrades.
- A strata where each strata lot is supplied by the utility independently of the others. Section 5.11(3) says the report only needs its date, the preparer's details, and a statement confirming that every strata lot receives electricity directly and separately from the utility rather than through the strata's own common-property system.
Which stratas tend to take the second pathway
- Bare land stratas where each home has its own BC Hydro or FortisBC service and meter.
- Townhouse complexes where each unit has its own meter on the building or garage, and no strata-owned panels feed the homes.
- Duplexes, fourplexes and small rows arranged the same way.
Shared items such as pathway lights, a gate or a shed with a panel do not settle the question on their own. That is why CF Electrical Services looks at your meters and any common electrical equipment before a short-form report is issued.
It still meets the requirement
A short-form report is a full answer to the requirement in section 94.1 of the Strata Property Act for stratas that qualify. It is the pathway the regulation itself provides, not a shortcut around it. Your deadline is the same: December 31, 2026 in the Metro Vancouver, Fraser Valley and Capital regional districts, and December 31, 2028 elsewhere. Only strata plans with fewer than five lots on December 31, 2023 need no report at all.
How to find out which pathway applies to your strata
Tell us your strata plan number and how your homes are metered, and we will confirm which pathway applies and what the report needs to contain. Request a fixed-price proposal, or call or email us with the details. If your strata does not qualify for the short-form report, the same team prepares the full Electrical Planning Report.
Authoritative sources
- Strata Property Regulation — sections 5.8 and 5.11 (BC Laws).
- Strata electrical planning report — Province of British Columbia overview page.
© 2026 CF Electrical Services Ltd. All rights reserved. This guide is the copyright work of CF Electrical Services Ltd.
Written by CF Electrical Services — BC strata electrical consulting: Electrical Planning Reports, EV Ready Plans, and electrification project management.