Cost of SGI road tests more than double

Anyone in Saskatchewan who takes a driver's road test next year will pay more more than twice as much as drivers paid this year, in many cases.

On Tuesday, Saskatchewan Government Insurance announced a series of fee increases related todriver's testing, licences, driver training and impaired driver courses.

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Many of the changes will come into effect on Jan. 1.

For someone who drives a car and requires an ordinaryclass 5 licence, the road test fee is increasingto $55from $22:a 150 per cent increase.

Driving assessments of seniors (road tests and vision tests) that used to be free will cost $75.

Changes coming soon

SGI said most of the changes take effect on New Year's Day but somewon't kick inuntil mid-2017.

"Fees are changing so that costs are primarily covered by customers using the service or completing the transaction, instead of being subsidized by all vehicle owners," SGI said in an emailed response.

"Many of these fees have not been updated in more than 10 years."

SGI Auto Fund executive vice-president Earl Cameron told reporters on Tuesday that clients could expect more changes to fees in the future.

He said the insurerplans to revisit its prices every two to three years, sayingtheycould increase or decrease depending on the costs that needto be covered.

'It's unfortunate': Cameron

This time around, he saidprice hikes for driving exams were needed to cover the cost of providing the service across the province.

"It's unfortunate fees have to go up. There's no ideal time but that's just the cost of doing that program and making sure that we provide the services we do," he said.

"You can take your driver's test most anywhere in Saskatchewan and unfortunately that's the cost of the program."

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Cameron added that SGI had looked at other provinces to see if their fees were comparable.

However, he said the insurer did not use other provincial modelsas a guidelinebecause SGI changes had to represent the "true cost" of itsprograms.

"We looked at them to see how reasonable it was compared to what we were setting," he said.

"Some cases [in other provinces] are higher or lower than some of the fees you see here."

Other fee hikes

• Motorcycle road test $55 (from $22).
• Ignition interlock program $105 (from $30).
• New photo on driver's licence $15 (from $10).
• Written exam to become a driver instructor $85 (from $10).
• Replace licence plate $15 (from $10).
• Heavy trailer road test $100 (from $40).
• Safe driver recognition appeal $100 (from $25).