With more energy used in the transportation sector than any other sector, there are major energy efficiency and emissions reduction opportunities. As the city’s population increases, so too will the number of vehicles with an expected increase of 230,000 vehicles by 2050.
Although new vehicle sales are increasingly electric, the fossil fuel-fired electricity grid in Saskatchewan presents an emissions challenge for charging electric vehicles (EVs). EVs are typically lower emitting than gasoline and diesel-powered vehicles in the province, although hybrid vehicles tend to be even lower.14 EVs charged in Saskatchewan emit almost 20 times as much as EVs charged in Ontario, 60 times as much as in BC, and over 450 times as much as in Quebec because these provinces have lower-carbon energy grids than Saskatchewan. However, EVs in Saskatchewan will typically emit 10-20% less than their gasoline counterparts. Phasing out coal-fired power and adding renewable energy to the electricity grid will improve EV emissions over time.
The following 7 actions are needed to reduce transportation emissions for the City.