City Leadership & Indicator Tracking

Electric vehicles (EVs) charged by Saskatchewan’s current grid emit about 30% less greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions than fuel powered vehicles. EVs also do not emit any tailpipe carbon monoxide, making the surrounding air cleaner to breathe.  There is less maintenance for EVs than internal combustion engines (ICE) as they do not need oil changes, spark plugs, or transmission servicing.  

For these and other reasons, the City of Saskatoon (City) has committed to four fuel-switching actions for emissions reductions in transportation though the Low Emissions Community Plan (LEC Plan). 

The City is developing a Zero-emission Vehicle (ZEV) Roadmap that will outline the path forward to meet LEC Actions and reduce greenhouse gas reductions. Public engagement on this was conducted in Summer 2023. The Roadmap will provide:   

• A transition plan for the City’s fleet vehicles that considers the availability and affordability of ZEV’s and their accessory equipment and technical expertise required, based on current market trends and life-cycle costs  

• Opportunities for encouraging community adoption of ZEVs such as policy changes and education/incentive programming

Two dual-port electric vehicle charging stations (EVCS) are available in the parking lots at Lakewood (1635 McKercher Drive) and Lawson (225 Primrose Drive) Civic Centres. These chargers are available for no-cost during a 2-year pilot that will run until May 31, 2025.  

These stations will be featured as amenities for public use, and Electric Vehicle (EV) drivers can use them at no cost while using the leisure centre or while shopping at surrounding businesses.  

These charging stations aim to initiate community conversations and education about Electric Vehicles, emission reduction targets, and other climate actions. The usage will be monitored to inform future scaling of City-owned charging station infrastructure. The data will be shared with Saskatoon's business community to assist them in making their own decisions about investing in EV infrastructure.  

The City added four battery electric vehicles to its fleet in 2021. These vehicles were used by Saskatoon Light & Power, Facilities Management, and Parking Enforcement.  Over the last three years, the four cars have travelled a combined distance of over 157,000 km with minimal maintenance costs, reduced operating costs, a reduction in GHG emissions, and comparable functionality to the internal combustion engine vehicles they replaced.  The charging requirements of these vehicles will help inform planning for future electrical infrastructure needs as EV adoption continues to increase. The City is continuing to purchase EVs for its Fleet based on the success of this pilot.  

Saskatoon Transit launched two new Nova LFSe+ battery-electric buses to its public transit fleet in July 2024. As the first battery-electric buses in Saskatchewan, these vehicles are an exciting step toward building a transit fleet that meets current and future ridership demands and our commitment to sustainability and environmental leadership. Visit Saskatoon Transit for more information. 

Coming in 2025. An in-person matchmaking event will be conducted between EV technology seekers (property managers, landlords, condominium associations of MURBs, and business fleet owners) and EV technology providers (car dealerships, charging network providers, contractors, and subject matter experts) to foster partnerships, information sharing, and grow the charging network in Saskatoon.  

The national sales of electric vehicles have been growing rapidly in the last five years, with sales increasing 75% from 2016 to 2017 and increasing an additional 79% from 2017 to 2018. EV sales were the highest in Ontario, Quebec, and British Columbia, largely due to comprehensive municipal and provincial EV strategies and incentives for the purchase of EVs.  

In Saskatoon, EV adoption has grown substantially. In 2016 there were 41 plug-in and hybrid EV’s registered in Saskatoon growing to 477 in 2021, an average of a 65% increase per year. The adoption of electric vehicles in Canada is expected to continue; a recent survey by KPMG found that 71% of Canadians would consider purchasing an EV the next time they buy a vehicle and 49% are more likely to buy an EV today compared to 2021. 

Interactive map of zero-emission vehicle registrations provided by Stats Canada.