Brody Langager
Saskatoon StarPhoenix
Questioning why Saskatoon residents without electric vehicles should continue paying for a project that allows EV users to recharge at no charge, several city councillors supported a plan for a full cost recovery at community charging stations.
The environment, utilities and corporate services committee this week discussed a two-year pilot program, running since 2023 at Lawson Civic Centre and Lakewood Civic Centre, that offers charging for electric vehicles at no cost to drivers.
In the report to committee, five options were listed: stopping the program; extending the program with no user fee; continuing with a user fee of $2 per hour; continuing with a fee of $3 per hour; and continuing with a full cost recovery fee of $5.35 per hour. Annual operating costs for the pilot are approximately $21,400.
According to the report, the city said, one of the main concerns from non-electric vehicle users was the use of public funds to offer free charging.
Councillors asked about the costs and why the city would continue to subsidize this project. Coun. Troy Davies said it didn’t make sense for residents in his ward to help pay for someone else’s vehicle purchase.
“I don’t think taxpayers should be subsidizing costs on people who choose to buy a Tesla. That’s their choice. That dealer who is dealing with that customer is making the profit off that vehicle,” Davies said.
He said if an SUV charged at one of the stations at the full cost recovery rate, it would still be much cheaper than an SUV buying fuel at a gas station.
City administration recommended the $3 per hour option, saying about 56 per cent of the costs would be covered by user fees, and that the full cost recovery would be much higher than the market average. According to the report, SaskPower lists the average price for charging around $1 to $2.50 per hour.
The recommendation from city administration was defeated. Davies, Timon, Block and Coun. Holly Kelleher voted against it, while councillors Kathryn MacDonald and Jasmin Parker were in support of it.
Instead, a motion by Mayor Cynthia Block in favour of extending the program with a $5.35 per hour full cost recovery rate was passed, with only MacDonald opposing that motion.
Block said the full cost recovery option is comparable to market rates based on her own experience of owning an EV.
“I appreciate that we completed the pilot, and now I think it’s time to take the training wheels off and let it grow,” Block said.
Block wondered if there was any interest from other EV charge station providers to take over the two stations owned by the city, but city administration said there was none.
The motion approved by committee wouldn’t require any deliberation during budget talks in the winter. It was noted by city administration that the city could start charging for EV station usage one to two months after being approved by city council.
The city plans to look at potential private partnerships to reduce costs for the project, the committee heard.
A full report on the progress of this project is expected within one year.
The number of EV’s in Saskatoon has been growing. According to city data, there were 524 EV’s registered in 2024, compared to 18 registered in 2017. The city said the pilot program resulted in about 30 tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent being reduced because of the stations.
