Recent posts

#51

Off-Topic / Re: Vacation Thread

Last post by Johnnymac - Feb 25, 2026, 01:11 PM

I think the "relax on a beach" type of vacation is something I'm only interested in doing with a group of friends. If it's just my wife and I then we're going exploring - not physical activities but seeing cities and towns and road tripping between them. There's way too much of the world that I want to see.

I totally understand this feeling.  Yes it's always more enjoyable to be relaxing and sharing that time with friends and family, but trying to heard cats on a busy trip can be a major pain in the butt and likely more enjoyable as a pair or small group.

Was thinking about you and your Mexico trip plans when hearing about all the stuff going on down in Mexico right now, I know a few people who chose to cancel their trips to Mexico this spring because of it (mostly people who were planning on going with their children).

#52

Off-Topic / Re: Vacation Thread

Last post by Oliver - Feb 25, 2026, 01:09 PM

I think the "relax on a beach" type of vacation is something I'm only interested in doing with a group of friends. If it's just my wife and I then we're going exploring - not physical activities but seeing cities and towns and road tripping between them. There's way too much of the world that I want to see.

#53

Electric Vehicles (EVs) / Re: Ottawa offers new EV incen...

Last post by Johnnymac - Feb 25, 2026, 01:09 PM

I wonder if this is something the government can get insurance companies to collect on their behalf? We do estimate our kms driven to the insurance companies (maybe not government run), and it's in our best interests not to provide false information to the insurance companies.

My break even point with the flat $200 a year is roughly 12,500km. A BZ's break even point is roughly 20,000km and a Silverado EV around 10,000km. But the Alberta government is also known to pause gas taxes when oil is above a certain $ per barrel so do EV road taxes get paused then too?

I don't think it would be that hard to get odometer readings for every single personal vehicle if it's a requirement to provide when registering your vehicle, it's no different than having to provide the insurance policy number when doing so. 

You might say, but what about those people who lie about their mileage, well that's where auditors come in or simply a request for inspection where the person has to bring said vehicle to a location to have the odometer verified.  Plus the vast majority of people are honest (some to a fault) and also most people who aren't honest typically are also not the brightest, so they are typically easy to spot.

Knowing that the information you provide to government can be audited, and if you are found to be providing false information an extra penalty and interest would be added as well as the taxes that should have been paid. 

#54

Electric Vehicles (EVs) / Re: Ottawa offers new EV incen...

Last post by dkazzed - Feb 25, 2026, 12:25 PM

I wonder if this is something the government can get insurance companies to collect on their behalf? We do estimate our kms driven to the insurance companies (maybe not government run), and it's in our best interests not to provide false information to the insurance companies.

My break even point with the flat $200 a year is roughly 12,500km. A BZ's break even point is roughly 20,000km and a Silverado EV around 10,000km. But the Alberta government is also known to pause gas taxes when oil is above a certain $ per barrel so do EV road taxes get paused then too?

#55

Electric Vehicles (EVs) / Re: Ottawa offers new EV incen...

Last post by Johnnymac - Feb 25, 2026, 12:17 PM

Alberta's only applies to BEVs as well.

The "based on an average family of 4" is a weird take, what if they have two vehicles?

Odometer readings is an additional level of administrative effort I think most governments aren't willing to add, but weight ratings with a limited kWh/kW level is best. Charging $200-250 a year whether they drive a 15 year old Nissan Leaf that on a good day has 70 km range now and an Silverado EV driving 50,000 km a year is really unfair.

Is it easier to just use weight, sure, but it's not going to be overly fair.  Let me explain, so fuel tax is a consumption tax, meaning you pay taxes based on how much you consume (fuel).  But if you just blanket the charge at say $200 per year for a vehicle at XX weight, that means the guy who drives say 5,000kms per year with his EV in the city going back and forth to work and running local errands would pay the same as someone with an EV that they drive 25,000kms per year or more. 

As a taxation expert I always like for people and entities to pay their fair share of taxes and not be charged too much or too little.  That's why consumption taxes are so good in my eyes because it's based off of an individuals unique actions, and it's something that people can adjust themselves (through driving less).

#56

Electric Vehicles (EVs) / Re: Ottawa offers new EV incen...

Last post by dkazzed - Feb 25, 2026, 11:54 AM

Alberta's only applies to BEVs as well.

The "based on an average family of 4" is a weird take, what if they have two vehicles?

Odometer readings is an additional level of administrative effort I think most governments aren't willing to add, but weight ratings with a limited kWh/kW level is best. Charging $200-250 a year whether they drive a 15 year old Nissan Leaf that on a good day has 70 km range now and an Silverado EV driving 50,000 km a year is really unfair.

#57

Off-Topic / Re: Vacation Thread

Last post by Tortoise - Feb 25, 2026, 11:18 AM

I raced as a kid and still only ski on slalom skis, so it'll be an adjustment for sure.

Honestly, I'd just rent skis while you are there.  SL skis will be no fun if you get any snow. And even without new snow, something a little wider and chiller will be more fun and less demanding.

#58

Electric Vehicles (EVs) / Re: Ottawa offers new EV incen...

Last post by Seafoam - Feb 25, 2026, 11:04 AM

 I can maybe see the tax on a full EV. The Hybrid not so much as they do pay some fuel tax. It would be like  double taxation for hybrids. Most of the wear and tear on the roads are from heavy trucks delivering food .  

The Saskatchewan tax apparently does not include hybrids. file:///C:/Users/smurf/Downloads/FT.012%252BRoad%252BUse%252BCharge%252Bon%252BElectric%252BVehicles.pdf

#59

Electric Vehicles (EVs) / Re: Ottawa offers new EV incen...

Last post by Johnnymac - Feb 25, 2026, 09:35 AM

As someone who works directly with provincial fuel tax, I can tell you that for the past 5+ years I've tried to get our slow moving government to start some sort of program to get road tax from EV owners. 

My suggestion was yearly odometer readings when registering a vehicle, based off that reading, using the weight of the vehicle and comparing to similar weighted ICE vehicles to get an amount per KM of road tax.  This would ensure that an EV driver pays a similar amount of "road wear/maintenance" to their ICE counterparts. 

I also tried to tell them that just having odometer readings for vehicles would allow government to use that info for better infrastructure planning and development, knowing the average distance traveled for residents in each location could better target where key infrastructure could be utilized to in areas that might benefit from things like a new bridge, new highway, new hospital/clinic/school/etc.  But trying to get another department to take on work is futile until they are forced to do it kicking and screaming.

#60

Welcome Mat / Re: So anyway...

Last post by Firm - Feb 25, 2026, 09:22 AM

When I check RockAuto I only get the Mopar # and it's Out of Stock. Are you seeing something different?