The City of Saskatoon’s Manager of Climate, Strategy, and Data says the cost of paying for EV charging stations was considered a relatively small amount of funds for the two years of the pilot project, and it was approved by Council.  Amber Weckworth was asked about the City’s response to residents’ concern over the City getting into the EV charging business and why taxpayers should foot the bill, for someone who can own an electric vehicle, to essentially fuel their car. Weckworth says one of the main reasons they felt it was a reasonable use of funds is because they know electrification of vehicles is a really important part of the transition to electric renewable energy and reducing greenhouse gas emissions.

Weckworth says they don’t believe they are looking to make money but will concentrate on cost recovery as they attempt to understand behaviors behind use of charging stations. They will determine how much use there is of the EV charging stations and reassess to decide if it is full cost recovery or somewhat subsidized. The cost to design, install and buy the equipment at two leisure centres in Saskatoon was approximately $70,000. The projection for the two-year pilot project is that it will cost the City of Saskatoon around $17,000 to $23,000 from both the cost of electricity and the software application.

Available for public use, two new electric vehicle charging stations have been installed in the parking lots at Lakewood and Lawson Civic Centres in Saskatoon and Amber Weckworth Manager of Climate Strategy and Data says they want to understand how charging an electric vehicle can be used in Saskatoon.