u/Progressive_Citizen

I reached out to Ken Cheveldayoff's office regarding the annual EV fee the Sask Party implemented. I pretty much asked them if they would consider making it more equitable and fair:

• By making the fuel surcharge indexed to inflation (like they made the EV fee) or scrap indexing the EV fee to inflation.
• By changing the fee to be based on actual road usage, and not a flat fee (or consider making all vehicles pay a flat fee and scrap the fuel surcharge).

They pretty much said no on all accounts, and said that the indexation to inflation only accounts to about a $6 predictable annual cost increase for EV owners, which is smooth and gradual for them to handle. Incredible response, honestly.

Here's the full response:

>Good afternoon <redacted>,

>
>Thank you for contacting the constituency office of Ken Cheveldayoff, MLA for Saskatoon Willowgrove and for taking the time to write and share your message regarding EV Road Tax; I have passed your comments on to MLA Cheveldayoff for review, and also to the Minister of Finance for review and consideration.

>
>The 2025-26 Budget announced that to fairly ensure owners of EVs contribute to the upkeep of Saskatchewan’s roads, the Road-use charge was increased from $150 to $300. The 2026-27 Budget announced that, effective January 1, 2027, the annual fee on EVs registered in Saskatchewan will be indexed to the rate of inflation, similar to the personal income tax brackets. While the actual increase will be determined in November 2026, it is expected to be approximately 2.0 per cent, which would be a $6.00 increase to the annual charge.

>
>Indexation allows for a smooth, gradual increase in the charge, giving EV owners a predictable cost into the future.

>
>When reviewing the EV charge, it has been noted that the demographics around the use of these vehicles in Saskatchewan continue to change. This is partially due to the increased number of EVs on the road each year. Since 2021, the number of registered EVs has increased from approximately 600 to over 3,000 in Saskatchewan.

>
>It is important to note that 100 per cent of the Saskatchewan Fuel Tax funds our highways and related infrastructure.  The Fuel Tax Accountability Act ensures the fuel tax applicable on road travel in Saskatchewan is directed at preserving and improving the provincial highway system. In the same way that revenue is collected from gasoline and diesel sales, all revenue collected under the EV’s road-use charge ensures people are safe on our roads and allows for the exports our economy relies on.

>
>Every year the provincial budget includes the Intercity Comparison of Taxes, Utilities and Housing, which compares the cost of living in Regina as compared to other major cities across Canada. With respect to the cost of the provincial fuel tax, this analysis estimates an average family consumes approximately 2,000 litres of gasoline annually, which equates to $300 in fuel tax paid annually. This is closely aligned with the road-use charge on EVs.

>
>Finally, Alberta, Quebec and Nova Scotia have all implemented a road-use charge on EVs, as well as hybrids in Quebec and Nova Scotia’s case, to account for their forgone fuel tax revenues. Additionally, most U.S. States have introduced some form of EV fees to support their infrastructure and make up lost revenue including California, Washington and New York.

>
>The Government of Saskatchewan reviews all taxes annually as part of the budget development process. At this time, the Government is not considering any changes to the Fuel Tax or road-use charge on EVs.

>
>Your feedback is appreciated; take care for now.

Police employees making more than $200,000 jump to 52 last year from 11 in 2024.