British Columbia

The Canadian Taxpayers Federation is calling on Premier David Eby to lower fuel taxes as Vancouver and Victoria rank first and second for the highest gas taxes in the country, according to the 2024 edition of the Canadian Taxpayers Federation Gas Tax Honesty Report.

“British Columbians are struggling every time they go to the gas station and the premier needs to do what other provinces are doing and give people a break,” said Carson Binda, British Columbia director for the Canadian Taxpayers Federation. “It’s unacceptable that British Columbians are paying the highest gas taxes in the country.”

Drivers in Vancouver and Victoria topped the national gas-tax rankings this year. In Vancouver, taxes account for an average of 81 cents per litre, in Victoria it’s 74 cents per litre and across the rest of the province the tax bill amounts to 68 cents per litre.

Across B.C., on a litre of gasoline, drivers pay 8.5 – 14.5 cents in provincial excise taxes. They pay another 35.6 cents for the carbon tax and a second carbon tax embedded in fuel standards. Then there’s another 10 cents in federal excise taxes and between 8 and 8.6 cents in federal sales taxes. In Vancouver and Victoria, drivers also face transit taxes which cost 18.5 and 5.5 cents per litre respectively.

All of the taxes levied against a litre of gasoline lead to big tax bills on every tank of gas. In Vancouver, the tax bill alone on a 64-litre fillup of gasoline comes to $52, while in Victoria it’s $47.50 and across the rest of the province it sits at $43.60.

“The taxes alone on a minivan fill-up costs more than home-cooked dinner for a family of four,” said Binda. “Politicians from all political parties need to commit to making life more affordable by cutting taxes on gas during the upcoming provincial election.”

The Federal Parliamentary Budget Officer has also been clear that “Canada’s own emissions are not large enough to materially impact climate change.”

“Carbon taxes cause a lot of pocket-book pain for ordinary families, without any meaningful environmental gain,” said Binda. “Taxing British Columbians for heating their homes or driving to work won’t solve a global problem like climate change.”

Alberta

The Canadian Taxpayers Federation is also calling for gas tax cuts in Alberta as the CTF releases its Gas Tax Honesty Report.

“Alberta used to lead the country in low fuel taxes, but that award goes to Manitoba now,” said Kris Sims, CTF Alberta Director during a press conference in Calgary. “The Alberta government needs to cut taxes for all Albertans like it promised to do in the election.”

In it’s 26^th annual Gas Tax Honesty Report, the CTF shows how much tax drivers are paying per litre of gasoline and diesel across Canada.

With federal and provincial fuel taxes combined, Albertans pay 48 cents in taxes per litre of gasoline, while a litre of diesel carries a tax tab of 46 cents.

Drivers in Manitoba pay 34 cents per litre in tax.

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s federal carbon tax costs Albertans more than 17 cents per litre of gasoline and 21 cents per litre of diesel. That cost is set to increase every year until 2030 when the carbon tax will hit 37 cents per litre of gasoline and 45 cents per litre of diesel.

Filling up a minivan with gasoline in Alberta costs $36 in total taxes, while filling up a pickup truck will cost about $55 in total taxes.

Filling up the tanks on a big rig diesel truck costs truckers about $400 extra in taxes.

Drivers in Ontario are getting a 5.5 cent per litre break at the gas pump while Newfoundland and Labrador’s Liberal Premier Andrew Furey recently extended his own eight cents per litre gas tax cut for the entire year.

“Albertans used to have a big advantage because our provincial fuel tax was fully suspended for a year, but those days are gone and now we are paying the full freight,” said Sims. “Albertans need a tax cut at the pumps, and we need the Trudeau carbon tax scrapped.”