Canada's national average for regular gasoline reached 198¢/L in April 2026 — nearly 48% higher than the same time last year. Here's what's driving prices up, what the government is doing about it, and what every province is paying today.
A major disruption to global oil supply — centred on the Strait of Hormuz, a waterway carrying roughly 20% of the world's oil — pushed benchmark crude prices above $120 USD/barrel in early 2026. Canadian pump prices follow global crude markets. Prices have partially retreated as shipping routes reopened (WTI is near $84/barrel as of April 17), and the federal government is suspending the fuel excise tax (10¢/L) starting April 20. Both factors should bring modest relief through summer.
Sources: NRCan weekly fuel price series, CAA, GasBuddy (April 14–18, 2026). These are provincial averages — actual pump prices vary by city and station. Starting April 20, all prices drop ~10¢/L when the federal excise tax suspension takes effect.
Canada's retail gasoline prices are linked to global benchmark crude oil prices — primarily West Texas Intermediate (WTI), which trades in USD. Even though Canada is a significant oil producer, Canadian refineries purchase crude at market rates, and those rates are set by global supply and demand.
In early 2026, a major disruption to one of the world's most critical oil shipping routes caused crude oil benchmark prices to spike significantly. The Strait of Hormuz — a narrow waterway between Oman and Iran through which an estimated 20% of globally traded oil flows — was temporarily blocked. The immediate effect on crude markets was sharp:
Crude oil prices have pulled back from their peak as shipping routes partially reopened — WTI fell nearly 12% on April 17 alone after markets responded to signals that the waterway was reopening to traffic. However, the full impact of an elevated crude price takes several weeks to fully flow through a refinery's cost structure and appear at the pump, which is why retail prices remain elevated even as crude prices ease.
Alberta's pump prices remain the lowest in Canada for structural reasons unrelated to global events: Alberta has no provincial fuel tax, and the province has direct pipeline access to its own oil production and refinery capacity. When global crude prices rise, Alberta consumers still feel the impact — but from a lower base, and with less layered tax.
British Columbia and Atlantic provinces carry higher fuel taxes than the Prairie provinces, and BC's geography means greater infrastructure costs for fuel distribution. These structural factors exist independently of global crude prices — when global prices spike, they add to an already-higher base.
The federal government is suspending the fuel excise tax on gasoline (10¢/L) and diesel (4¢/L) for approximately 20 weeks. All Canadians will see prices drop by these amounts starting April 20, regardless of province.
The federal fuel excise tax is a flat per-litre tax applied at the wholesale level across Canada. Its suspension means every Canadian pays 10¢ less per litre of gasoline at the pump from April 20 through September 7, 2026. For diesel fuel, the reduction is 4¢/L.
To put this in practical terms for road trip budgets:
The suspension is explicitly framed by the government as a cost-of-living relief measure in response to elevated global energy prices. It does not affect provincial fuel taxes, carbon pricing, or other provincial fees — only the federal excise tax component.
If your trip departs after April 19, your gas cost estimates should be approximately 10¢/L lower than the provincial averages shown in the table above. Use the Northern Stay gas calculator to get a personalized estimate — it will be updated to reflect post-suspension prices.
Regular gasoline and diesel provincial averages as of April 18, 2026. Starting April 20, subtract 10¢/L (gasoline) or 4¢/L (diesel) for post-suspension prices.
| Province / Territory | Regular Gas ($/L) | Diesel ($/L) | vs. National Avg | Post Apr 20 Gas |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alberta Cheapest | $1.65 | $1.79 | −$0.33 | $1.55 |
| Saskatchewan | $1.71 | $1.85 | −$0.27 | $1.61 |
| Manitoba | $1.73 | $1.87 | −$0.25 | $1.63 |
| Yukon | $1.72 | $1.88 | −$0.26 | $1.62 |
| Ontario | $1.79 | $1.94 | −$0.19 | $1.69 |
| Nova Scotia | $1.85 | $1.99 | −$0.13 | $1.75 |
| New Brunswick | $1.88 | $2.03 | −$0.10 | $1.78 |
| Northwest Territories | $1.90 | $2.06 | −$0.08 | $1.80 |
| Prince Edward Island | $1.95 | $2.10 | +$0.07 | $1.85 |
| Québec | $1.96 | $2.12 | +$0.08 | $1.86 |
| Newfoundland & Labrador | $2.00 | $2.15 | +$0.12 | $1.90 |
| British Columbia Highest (south) | $2.02 | $2.18 | +$0.14 | $1.92 |
| Nunavut Remote premium | $2.58 | $2.76 | +$0.70 | $2.48 |
National weighted average (population): ~$1.87/L. Sources: NRCan daily series, CAA, GasBuddy, finder.com/ca (April 14–18, 2026). Prices fluctuate daily — verify at GasBuddy or NRCan before departure.
Two factors are working in the direction of lower pump prices through summer 2026:
WTI crude fell nearly 12% on April 17, 2026, after the Strait of Hormuz was declared fully open — bringing prices back toward $84 USD/barrel from a peak above $120. If this trajectory holds, the reduction will flow through to Canadian pump prices over the following 2–4 weeks. However, oil markets remain sensitive to further developments, and any renewed supply disruption could reverse these gains quickly.
Starting April 20, all Canadians pay 10¢/L less on gasoline and 4¢/L less on diesel — a direct, immediate reduction that applies regardless of what crude oil markets do. This runs through September 7, covering the entire core summer camping and road trip season.
Taken together, analysts generally expect the national average to settle in the 170–185¢/L range through summer 2026, assuming current conditions hold. Alberta could return to the 150–158¢/L range. These are estimates, not guarantees — oil markets are inherently volatile.
Budget using current prices as a conservative baseline and use the gas calculator for a province-by-province fuel estimate. If prices fall further before your trip, you'll come in under budget.
Gas is one part of your road trip budget. With a Northern Stay membership, campsite fees — the other major variable — drop to $0/night at 80+ private campgrounds across Canada.
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