Alberta pauses fuel tax through to end of the year

Alberta's fuel tax pause is being extended through the rest of the year, the provincial government announced in a news release today,  June 19.

Citing the rising cost of living, the UCP government says the 13 cents per litre savings will help an Alberta family save between $6 and $18 every time they fill up their vehicle. To date, Albertans have saved $1.5 billion at the pumps. Extending the pause will save another $520 million.

Alberta’s government first introduced a pause on fuel taxes in April of 2022 and paused taxes again in January to help combat high inflation.

Currently, Albertans pay an average of 141.4 cents per litre, below the Canadian average of 158.8 cents per litre.

“These savings have a real impact on the pocketbooks of Albertans. It’s relief we can provide thanks to Alberta’s strong fiscal position," said Nate Horner, President of Treasury Board and Minister of Finance.

As a comparison, the  B.C. government's tax hikes this year include the carbon tax increase to 14 cents per litre on April 1, 2023, on top of a second carbon tax that already costs about 17 cents per litre of gas, according to the Canadian Taxpayers’ Federation. B.C. now has the most expensive gasoline in Canada.

These are the gas prices across Canada, as of today, June 19.

Source: caa.ca/gas-prices/
Last updated: June 17, 2023