REGINA — Several fees and charges paid in Saskatchewan will change in the 2026-27 fiscal year.
According to the government, the changes include increased deductibles on basic plate insurance, higher alcohol infraction penalties and new certificate requirements for angling licences, among others.
Increased deductibles on basic plate insurance and new administrative fees
Effective Jan. 1, 2027, deductibles on SGI’s basic plate insurance are increasing. The typical $700 deductible will increase to $950. Most other vehicle deductibles will increase by about 20 per cent.
Also effective Jan. 1, new administrative fees will apply to new vehicle registrations and new or renewed driver’s licences ($15); vehicle registration renewals ($5); and driver’s licence payment transactions ($2).
According to the provincial government news release, these changes will offset costs to support the long-term sustainability of the SGI Auto Fund, which the government says is facing challenges due to inflation and rising vehicle repair costs.
Road-use charge on electric vehicles
According to the provincial government, the number of electric vehicles registered in Saskatchewan continues to grow. The government says these vehicles contribute to wear and tear on provincial roadways but, since they do not consume traditional fuels, they do not contribute to highway maintenance through the provincial fuel tax.
The 2021-22 provincial budget introduced an annual road-use charge for each passenger electric vehicle registered in Saskatchewan, with all revenue collected dedicated to provincial highway maintenance.
In the 2025-26 budget, the charge was increased from $150 to $300. Beginning Jan. 1, 2027, increases to the road-use charge will be indexed annually to the national rate of inflation.
The charge will continue to be collected by SGI when the electric vehicle is registered and will continue to be included in reporting under The Fuel Tax Accountability Act.
Angling habitat certificate fee
When purchasing a hunting licence in Saskatchewan, hunters are also required to purchase an annual wildlife habitat certificate. Proceeds are deposited into the Fish and Wildlife Development Fund.
For the upcoming 2026-27 angling season, the certificate will be extended to purchases of angling licences. Annual angling licences will require the purchase of a $20 angling habitat certificate, while one- and three-day angling licences will require a $5 certificate.
Individuals who purchase both an annual angling licence and a hunting licence in the same year will only require the purchase of a single habitat certificate.
Saskatchewan residents aged 65 and older, who are exempt from purchasing angling licences, will also be exempt from purchasing the angling habitat certificate.
The government says the extension is expected to generate an additional $2.1 million annually. All revenue will be deposited into the Fish and Wildlife Development Fund to support modernization and expansion at the fish hatchery and support long-term fisheries stocking and enhancement activities.
Wildlife survey fee
The Ministry of Environment currently administers a hunter harvest survey for each hunting licence sold in Saskatchewan. Hunters are asked to complete the survey following the hunting season, providing details such as dates and locations hunted and animals harvested.
Data collected from these surveys are an important tool for wildlife biologists to assess game population trends and adjust hunting quotas. Although the surveys are mandatory, completion rates have plateaued at about 60 per cent.
Effective Aug. 25, hunters who fail to submit their required survey will be charged a $15 fee when purchasing their next hunting licence.
The survey fee is expected to increase revenue by $225,000 in 2026-27. However, revenues are expected to decline over time as more hunters complete the mandatory surveys.
Saskatchewan Immigrant Nominee Program application fees
The Saskatchewan Immigrant Nominee Program (SINP) is a pathway to immigrate to Canada and accounts for approximately 70 per cent of immigration in Saskatchewan.
There are multiple streams within the SINP, including skilled workers with and without job offers. Applications from skilled workers without job offers are currently subject to a $500 fee, while applications from skilled workers with job offers are currently free of charge.
As a result of the federal government’s change to overall immigration levels, the Ministry of Immigration and Career Training has shifted program delivery toward applications in the skilled workers with job offers stream.
In order to better recover costs associated with administering the program, effective April 1 a new fee of $500 will be charged for applications from skilled workers with job offers.
The new SINP fee is anticipated to increase revenue by $2.9 million, which will recover the majority of the program’s cost.
SINP second review fees
Applications received through SINP’s skilled workers with job offers stream are reviewed by the Ministry of Immigration and Career Training for approval, which results in some applicants being deemed ineligible.
If the applicant believes the ineligible decision was due to a processing error or an error in the ministry’s assessment, they may request a second review free of charge.
According to the government, requesting a second review has become a default selection for SINP refusals.
In order to deter insincere requests, effective April 1 a new $250 fee will be charged for second review requests received through the skilled workers with job offers stream.
If the ministry determines the complaint is valid and the original decision is overturned, the charge will be fully reimbursed to the applicant.
The new second review fee is expected to increase revenue by $16,000 for 2026-27.
Increased minimum penalties for alcohol infractions
Current minimum penalties are $1,000 for selling alcohol to minors or intoxicated individuals and $500 for failing to demand proof of age.
In order to better incentivize compliance with Saskatchewan liquor regulations and create parity with the penalties already in place for cannabis offences, minimum penalties will be increased to $2,500 for selling alcohol to minors or intoxicated individuals and $1,000 for failing to demand proof of age.
