$17M added to certain fees and charges for Sask. residents and businesses in 2018-19

Certain fees and charges paid by Saskatchewan residents and businesses will be changing to better reflect the cost of related provincial services.

The Saskatchewan government has confirmed the changes will add roughly $17.7 million to the General Revenue Fund (GRF) in 2018-19, and about $784,000 in revenue to non-GRF agencies and funds, such as the Water Security Agency, Commercial Revolving Fund, and Financial and Consumer Affairs Authority.

The biggest item is a two cent increase to all environmental handling charges (EHC). A small increase on individual items, but it adds up quickly to the tune of $10.2 million annually.

Tetra packaging, like juice boxes, will now have an EHC cost of five cents, aluminum cans go up to seven cents, plastic bottles and jugs will be eight cents, and glass containers are nine cents.

For common items, like a case of 24 water bottles, the EHC charge will be $1.92. The EHC for a 24 case of beer will be $1.68 for cans and $2.16 for bottles.

The old EHC figures had been in place since 1992. The Environment Ministry is putting these new charges forward based on recommendations from SARCAN.

Under the old model, SARCAN said their operation would become financially unsustainable past 2024. A one cent increase is expected keep the recycling company sustainable up to 2030. The ministry says the extra one cent will provide flexibility to the funding if there are any legislative changes to EHCs.

SARCAN is expected to start collecting the additional revenue once a new contract with the province is established in 2020. At that point, SARCAN will collect an additional $5.1 million on top of the rest of the EHC revenue. In the 2015-16 fiscal year that was $26.5 million.

The province did not see money come into the general revenue fund (GRF) from EHCs until now. For the next two years the estimated $10.2 million will go into the GRF. Once a new SARCAN contract is signed the province will collect $5.1 million.

Speeding tickets

The base fine for a speeding ticket is also going up by $30, and the per-kilometre fine is doubling. The province anticipates an additional $6.4 million in revenue from this change.

“The focus here is traffic safety. We’re hoping that people will choose not to speed. It’s an easy way to avoid the fine, is to simply go the speed limit,” Ministry of Justice spokesperson Drew Wilby said.

Between highways, residential zones and school zones the impact of what this increase means can vary significantly for individual tickets. In a few ministry provided examples, going 66 km/h in a 50 km zone will now result in a $132 ticket, instead of $86 under the old formula. If you’re caught going 122 km/h in a 100 km zone the ticket will be $144 instead of $92.

The revenue from these tickets is split between the province and the jurisdiction it is issued in.

Below, you can view the complete list of changes and contact information for each ministry or agency: