SaskatoonMotorists wanting to charge their electric or hybrid vehicles at the stations located at the Lakewood and Lawson civic centres must pay $5.35/hr, starting Thursday.City introduces fees at stations at Lakewood, Lawson civic centresPhil Tank · CBC News · Posted: Oct 30, 2025 12:03 PM EDT | Last Updated: October 30Listen to this articleEstimated 3 minutesThe electric vehicle charger at the Lakewood Civic Centre in Saskatoon, as well as the one at the Lawson Civic Centre, now cost $5.35/hr to use. (Plugshare)Saskatoon city hall has cut off the free juice for electric vehicles at two city-operated charging stations.Motorists wanting to charge their electric or hybrid vehicles at the stations located at the Lakewood and Lawson civic centres must pay $5.35/hr, starting Thursday.Saskatoon city council decided in August on the fee — even though it is far higher than other commercial rates for Level 2 charging stations — to try to reduce the city’s subsidy for the stations.City hall spent $100,000 in 2023 to establish the charging stations as a pilot project stemming from its low emissions community plan to encourage more people to use electric vehicles to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.It costs about $21,400 a year to operate the charging stations, about $12,000 of which is spent on staff to maintain the infrastructure.Council opted for the highest proposed fee with the greatest potential to recover costs, even though usage is expected to decline. About 44 people a month had been using the chargers.According to a city report, SaskPower estimates that the average cost for Level 2 charging is $1 to $2.50/hr. The same report found that there are 86 charging stations available for public use in Saskatoon, which includes 71 Level 2 chargers and 15 Level 3 fast chargers. Some Level 2 stations offer free charging.City administration’s research shows the $5.35/hr fee council chose far exceeds the rates charged by other municipalities.The City of Calgary, for example, operates 70 charging sites with no fee beyond the standard parking payment. The City of Toronto offers charging at Level 2 stations for $2/hr and a flat fee of $3 overnight.City council considered five options from city administration, including closing the charging stations or continuing to offer charging for free. Council also could have chosen fees of $2/hr or $3/hr.Coun. Jasmin Parker and Coun. Kathryn MacDonald voted against the $5.35/hr fee.Even at $5.35/hr, council was told the city will still need to subsidize the charging stations for about $4,000 to $8,000 each year.Council also backed trying to find a third party to operate the stations to reduce the need for the city to subsidize the service.The number of electric and hybrid vehicles registered in Saskatoon has skyrocketed from 18 in 2018 to 524 last year, the report says.The new user fees apply 24 hours a day, including weekends and holidays. Motorists can pay fees with credit cards or other electronic payment options.WATCH | Can electric vehicles really handle the cold:Can electric vehicles really handle the cold?How do electric vehicles stand up to Saskatchewan’s frigid temperatures? CBC’s Alex Soloducha takes a look.
Saskatoon’s city-owned EV chargers no longer free as $5.35/hr fee takes effect
