SAAQ deal is a dig at public transit
The CAQ’s decision to keep drivers’ licences cheap is seen by some as a cut at public transit money.
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Kate
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jeather 21:52 on 2023-11-16 Permalink
Of all the costs of driving, the driver’s license fee is probably the smallest. What a weird cut.
Kate 11:07 on 2023-11-17 Permalink
A 24Hres writer comments on the decision and the CAQ’s higher regard for drivers than for users of public transit.
Bert 12:09 on 2023-11-17 Permalink
Hold on, the SAAQ is a Crown Corporation, so should be at arms-length of the government, like Hydro, and interestingly also Société de transport de Montréal. The linked article lists that coffers are full because we are generally driving less (thanks again C-19!) and thus claims are down. Is it not fair that insurance premiums follow global claims levels and tenancies?
The insurance premiums are the basis of the driver license fees. What the article completely seems to miss (ignore?) is that the license renewal fees are related to demerit points and that the lowest rates are for people with zero (0) demerit points. It goes up from there. See the link below. Also, what the article seems to COMPLETELY miss is that there are no earmarked funds for public transit on ANY of the license renewal levels, be it by class or demerit point level.
Public transit IS funded through registering a vehicle and generally by operating a vehicle, with the exception of pure electric vehicles, and other vehicles that don’t require registration to circulate on public roads.
I am no supporter of the CAQ, but calling them out in this case seems to me to be incomplete, incorrect , short sighted the least, if not blatantly false. One could possibly say “you get what you pay for” in regards to the 24H reporting.
License renewal
https://saaq.gouv.qc.ca/en/saaq/rates-fines/drivers-licence/cost-renewing
Registration renewal
https://saaq.gouv.qc.ca/en/saaq/rates-fines/vehicle-registration/comparative-tables/passenger-vehicles
Ian 14:49 on 2023-11-17 Permalink
Are you sure about that?
According to https://www.quebec.ca/gouvernement/ministere/transports/organigramme the SAAQ reports directly to the ministère des Transports et de la Mobilité durable …
Ian 14:52 on 2023-11-17 Permalink
Also Éric Duscharme is the CEO of the SAAQ –
“Éric Ducharme was appointed President and Chief Executive Officer and member of the Board of Directors of the SAAQ by the Québec government on April 5, 2023.” (my bold)
https://saaq.gouv.qc.ca/en/saaq/governance-administrative-structure/president-chief-executive-officer
Bert 15:06 on 2023-11-17 Permalink
The SAAQ *IS* a crown corporation, so just like any others they are arms-length. Yes, of course, the CEO / C-Suite will get appointments from the current government, so there will be a penchant one way or another. But still not under the direct control. Just like Hydro, the SAQ, it is not directly controlled by the government, etc.
Kate 15:07 on 2023-11-17 Permalink
All I know is that it was by fiat that the fee was radically reduced during the pandemic because so many people were finding it difficult to get appointments to pay the fee. The CAQ’s just keeping it going as a lagniappe.
Blork 15:39 on 2023-11-17 Permalink
I’m pretty sure the fee drop happened before the pandemic. Not 100% sure, but I thought it was 5+ years ago, and the reason was entirely (or so they said) due to fewer accidents and thus overflowing insurance coffers.
But here’s the thing: there’s “driver’s license” and there’s “driving.” Many people have a driver’s license but hardly ever drive. It’s a useful document, and driving is a useful skill that some people only use when they go on vacation once a year and rent a car or whatever.
I don’t see the point in using driver’s LICENSE fees to fund public transit. Any “use tax” (or whatever you want to call it) should come from ACTUAL DRIVING, meaning vehicle registrations, car rentals, fuel taxes, etc.
Just having a license to do something shouldn’t be seen as some kind of opportunity for cash-grabbing. There’s nothing inherently wrong, or polluting, or dangerous about simply possessing a license.
James 17:50 on 2023-11-17 Permalink
When you register your car each year you pay a “public transit contribution” plus an additional “vehicle registration tax”. For practically everyone in the CMM, you pay 89$ per car per year. Does all this money go to pay for public transit? I hope so…
https://saaq.gouv.qc.ca/en/saaq/rates-fines/vehicle-registration/cost-renewal/passenger-vehicles/contribution-public-transit
Ian 18:00 on 2023-11-17 Permalink
There’s a 3 cent per litre tax on gas, ostensibly to fund public transit. I’m sure that adds up to way more than license fees.