EV Charging in Ottawa: Opportunities for Businesses and Property Owners

Ottawa has seen steady increases in electric vehicle adoption, along with growing demand for EV charging both at home and on the capital’s busy streets.

By adding EV chargers, local businesses and property owners can generate new revenue, attract more tenants and visitors, and support sustainable tourism.

In this post, we’ll make the case for investing in residential and public EV charging and why Ottawa could and should become the nation’s EV charging hotspot.

Suburban residents are over represented among Ottawa’s EV drivers, thanks to the relative ease of installing EV chargers in home garages but according to city data, only about 42% of the city’s residents live in single-detached houses, with about 30% living in multiunit residential buildings (MURBs).

Research consistently shows that EV owners strongly desire the convenience of charging at home, driving the increasing demand for EV-friendly apartments and condos. Not only does EV charging attract and retain desirable tenants, it can also:

• Generate new revenue from charging fees and renting or selling parking spots with charger access
• Help developers and building owners meet ESG standards and sustainability goals
• Futureproof older buildings by anticipating for future codes and bylaws
• Improve property resale value by meeting the expectations of savvy buyers

All new Ontario residential developments must include the electrical infrastructure required to install EV chargers, and it may only be a matter of time before regulations for older buildings tighten up.

A Hypercharge EV Ready Plan offers a comprehensive blueprint for making EV charging available to each residential unit. It includes an Electrical Planning Report (EPR) and recommendations for EV charging stations, networking equipment, and software, as well as an outline of design considerations and cost estimates.

City data shows that the use of Ottawa’s 200 public chargers is surging. A Cartier Street charger, for example, saw its usage more than double within one year.

Ottawa will need to vastly expand its public charging network, however, to align the availability of chargers with the federal government’s ambitious targets for EV adoption. This creates a myriad of opportunities for local businesses, institutions, and building owners to serve a wide range drivers on the hunt for reliable EV charging.

Drivers without charging at home

It’s no coincidence that the high-performing Cartier Street charger is surrounded by MURBs.

Whether apartment residents or “garage orphans” (homeowners who park on the street), EV drivers without access to EV charging at home rely heavily on public chargers to stay charged up.

Making the leap to EV ownership in spite of this challenge creates steadfast loyalty to businesses and community hubs that offer convenient locations to charge up, incorporating visits into their daily or weekly routines.

Lower risks, maximize rewards

With Charging-as-a-Service, you don’t need to go all-in with direct ownership of EV charging stations. You can earn a share of revenue from EV charging fees from chargers that Hypercharges installs, operates, and maintains on your property.

Customers, clients, and community members

Strategically-located EV charging stations magnetize businesses and community hubs, drawing in EV drivers, increasing dwell times, and encouraging repeat visits.

By showcasing meaningful action towards reducing air pollution in Ottawa, EV chargers also broadcast a strong commitment to sustainability and investing in the community.

Reward loyalty

Customers can earn points-based rewards through EV charging with Eevion™ for Loyalty Programs, our powerful cloud-based middleware platform that seamlessly integrates Hypercharge’s charging network into any platform, system, or app.

Tourists and sightseers

Nearly 10 million people visit Canada’s capital every year, spending $2.6 billion locally. Tourist attractions such as museums, galleries, restaurants, retailers, hotels, and outdoor adventure sites are ideal locations for Level 2 charging sessions that last at least an hour. For quick top-ups en-route to the next destination, visitors seek out DC fast chargers, which can deliver a full charge in well under an hour.

Find the right charger

Which EV charger is right for your site? Is it the sleek and efficient Autel MaxiCharger AC Ultra Level 2 charger, which offers a 19.2kW maximum output, or the ultra-powerful ABB All-in-One series, with up to 400kW in output? Our expert team can help you choose the right charger for the job and cut down installation costs.