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Gas Prices

Alberta reintroducing portion of gas tax Oct. 1

Sep 22, 2022 | 5:26 PM

LETHBRIDGE, AB – A portion of the provincial fuel tax on gasoline and diesel will return next month.

Alberta’s United Conservative government has told retailers to start collecting 4.5 cents per litre on October 1, 2022.

Earlier this year, the province suspended the full 13 cents per litre tax in an effort to help Albertans deal with higher fuel costs, tying the relief plan to the average price of West Texas Intermediate (WTI) oil over a four-week period.

When that average was above $90 per barrel, the full 13 cents was suspended. With an average between $85 and $89.99, the fuel tax is set at 4.5 cents per litre, and at nine cents per litre at an average price between $80 and $84.99. The full 13 cents per lite will be reinstated when the average price is below $80 per barrel.

Over the four weeks leading up to Sept. 15, WTI averaged $89.26.

The Canadian Taxpayers Federation is calling on the province to scrap its plans to increase fuel taxes.

Alberta Director Kris Sims says the average pickup truck driver will pay more than $6 extra to fill up their tank.

“Has the cost of living suddenly become more affordable? Has the price at the pumps plummeted? Nope! People are struggling to afford the basics with inflation at historic highs, interest rates jumping and gas taxes kicking us while we are down,” says Sims.

The fuel tax savings program is updated quarterly, and the government will provide another program update in December.