EV drivers upset as Saskatchewan doubles their annual road-use charge to $300

CBC News

· Posted: Mar 14, 2025 6:47 PM EDT | Last Updated: 1 hr ago

Saskatchewan is making it much costly to thrust an electrical conveyance and immoderate drivers are calling it a shortsighted move.

The authorities announced it's doubling the road-use complaint connected EVs to $300 annually from $150. The surcharge is collected by Saskatchewan Government Insurance (SGI) astatine the clip of registration and volition spell toward fixing roads.

In a quality release, the authorities said the further interest for electrical vehicles is simply a substance of fairness.

"These vehicles lend to deterioration and teardrop connected provincial roadways but, since they bash not devour accepted fuels, they bash not lend to road attraction done the provincial substance tax," the merchandise says.

In 2021, Saskatchewan became the archetypal state successful Canada to present a road-use charge. Those who supported the determination argued that without one, EV drivers were getting an unfair subsidy. Alberta precocious followed Saskatchewan's pb and introduced its ain $200 taxation connected EVs successful aboriginal January.

Incentives, not barriers

SaskEV, a provincial relation that lobbies connected behalf of electrical conveyance drivers, fought the archetypal interest 4 years ago. Now, Tyler Krause, an electrical conveyance proprietor and committee member, is frustrated to perceive it's doubling.

"It's short-sighted," Krause said, noting Saskatchewan has 1 of the lowest rates of electrical conveyance uptake successful the country. "While I hold that astatine immoderate constituent an EV tax is indispensable to woody with roadworthy attraction costs, we're not astatine that constituent yet. We conscionable don't person capable EV's to warrant this benignant of tax."

As of July, 2023, determination were 1,446 electrical vehicles registered successful Saskatchewan, according to SGI.

Krause calls the complaint discriminatory due to the fact that each electrical vehicles are deed with a $300 charge, whereas state conveyance drivers wage the substance taxation based connected however overmuch state they buy.

Glenn Wright, a husbandman adjacent Vanscoy who owns 3 electrical vehicles, says helium mostly agrees that drivers request to assistance wage for roadworthy maintenance, but argues it's atrocious timing for this tax.

"I deliberation it's unfortunate due to the fact that we admit we're successful a clime emergency and we are car civilization present successful Saskatchewan, so adding this other complaint is really benignant of disincentivizing that modulation to determination america distant from fossil substance proscription to electrical transportation," Wright said.

"It's the incorrect determination astatine the incorrect time."