Published by CheapGasEdmonton.ca, an independent fuel-price comparison site. Sources and assumptions are identified in each article; price reports can lag changes at the pump. See our About page for editorial standards and our disclaimer for price accuracy notes.
Alberta’s provincial gasoline and diesel fuel tax is 0¢/L from October 1 through December 31, 2026. The federal gasoline excise is also temporarily zero, and the federal consumer fuel charge ended in April 2025. GST still applies. This breakdown was checked on October 7, 2026; it separates today’s rates from future scenarios so you can calculate the tax in your next fill-up.
What tax is in an Edmonton litre in October 2026?
- Alberta provincial fuel tax: 0¢/L. The full 13¢ rate is suspended on gasoline and diesel for October through December 2026.
- Federal excise tax: 0¢/L — temporarily. Ottawa suspended the 10¢/L gasoline excise (4¢ on diesel) from April 20, 2026 as an affordability measure during this spring's oil-price spike, and on September 8, 2026 extended the suspension through January 31, 2027.
- Federal consumer carbon levy: 0¢/L. Cancelled effective April 1, 2025 (it was 17.6¢/L at its final 2024 level). Nothing is now charged at the pump for carbon.
- GST: 5%, embedded in the posted price — about 7.4¢ on a 155¢ litre. If fuel excise taxes apply in another period, GST also applies to those amounts.
At a posted price of 155¢/L, the tax share under these October rates is about7.4¢/L of GST. On a 50-litre fill, that is $3.69 of the $77.50 total. This calculation describes taxes embedded in that example price; it does not predict how much a station will lower its posted price when a tax changes. Source: Alberta’s October–December fuel tax relief announcement.
How Alberta’s fuel tax relief works
Alberta’s normal fuel tax is up to 13¢/L. Its oil-price relief schedule can reduce that rate using the quarterly average of WTI crude. The published thresholds are:
- WTI under US$80 → 13¢/L
- WTI US$80–84.99 → 9¢/L
- WTI US$85–89.99 → 4.5¢/L
- WTI US$90 or higher → 0¢/L (fully suspended)
For the current quarter, use the province’s announced 0¢/L October–December 2026 rate, rather than inferring a tax from today’s crude price. The summer Alberta Energy Rebate had replaced the fuel tax relief program for July through September; fuel tax relief resumed October 1. Check the official fuel tax overview and current fuel seller notice when the next quarter is announced. We do not assume a January 2027 provincial rate in this calculator.
The carbon levy is gone — what that changed
For years the federal consumer carbon levy was the most argued-about 17 cents in Alberta. It ended on April 1, 2025, when the federal government cancelled consumer-facing carbon pricing nationally and dropped the requirement for provinces to impose their own. The Canada Carbon Rebate ended with it. Industrial emitters in Alberta still pay under the provincial TIER system, but that cost reaches the pump only indirectly, through refining economics.
A tax change is one part of a pump-price change. Wholesale prices and retail competition can move at the same time, so a before-and-after price difference should not automatically be attributed entirely to the levy. Source: Finance Canada’s April 1, 2025 fuel-charge removal.
The federal excise holiday (April 20, 2026 – January 31, 2027)
The 10¢/L federal excise on gasoline had been unchanged since 1995 — until this spring, when global oil disruptions pushed prices up and Ottawa responded by suspending the excise on gasoline, diesel and aviation fuel until Labour Day. The suspension applies nationally, and it did not end on September 7: on September 8, 2026 the federal government extended it through January 31, 2027. The announced schedule then sets the gasoline excise at 5¢/L for February and March 2027 and returns it to the full 10¢/L from April 1, 2027 — build those steps into your 2027 fuel budgeting. Source: the September 8, 2026 federal announcement.
GST: the quiet multiplier
The 5% GST applies to the full pump price including the other taxes. The GST share of a posted price is price ÷ 21 — about 7.4¢ at 155¢/L, but nearly 9¢ when prices touch 185¢. Businesses recover GST on commercial fuel through input tax credits; consumers don't, so the burden lands on personal fill-ups. Provinces using HST apply their current provincial sales tax rate to fuel; Alberta applies 5% GST.
Comparing gas tax between provinces
A useful comparison needs the same date, fuel grade and posted-price assumption for each location. Provincial fuel taxes, municipal transit levies and sales taxes can differ, and a city rate should not be treated as a province-wide rate. Our national gas tax tableis a starting point; check its cited provincial sources and effective dates. Alberta’s October–December 2026 example uses 0¢/L provincial fuel tax and 5% GST.
Why a tax difference is not the whole pump-price difference
Taxes are only one layer of a retail price. Crude cost and refining margins dominate the price, the Edmonton-area refineries price wholesale gasoline against continental markets (not local crude), and healthy demand keeps Edmonton retail margins comfortable. Taxes set the floor difference; markets eat part of it.
What you can control
You can't vote a tax away at the pump, but every litre you don't buy is taxed at 100% off. The practical levers are the same as always: buy at the bottom of Edmonton's weekly price cycle, pick the right station with the live cheapest list or the price map, check tomorrow's forecast before a big fill, and drive like fuel costs money — trip planning routinely saves more than any tax change.
FAQ
How much tax is on a litre of gas in Alberta in 2026?
Checked October 7, 2026: Alberta’s provincial fuel tax is 0 cents per litre for October 1 through December 31, 2026. Federal gasoline excise is also 0 cents through January 31, 2027, and the consumer carbon levy is zero. GST remains 5%; its share of a posted pump price is price divided by 21, or about 7.4 cents on a 155-cent litre. Future totals depend on the provincial rate then in effect.
Is there still a carbon tax on gasoline in Alberta?
No. The federal consumer carbon levy (17.6 cents per litre at its 2024 level) was cancelled effective April 1, 2025, and the federal requirement for provinces to price consumer fuel emissions was removed. Industrial emitters in Alberta still pay carbon pricing under the provincial TIER system, but nothing is charged at the pump.
What is the Alberta fuel tax and does it change?
Alberta normally adjusts its fuel tax quarterly under an oil-price relief schedule, with possible rates of 13, 9, 4.5 or 0 cents per litre. For October 1 through December 31, 2026, the province has suspended the full tax on gasoline and diesel. Check the official rate announcement before assuming a 2027 rate.
How should I compare gas taxes between provinces?
Compare the same fuel grade and effective date, including provincial fuel tax, any municipal transit levy, federal excise and the local sales tax rate. Alberta’s October–December 2026 example has zero provincial fuel tax and 5% GST. Rates elsewhere can change; check each government’s current rate notice.
When does the federal gas tax holiday end?
It was first scheduled to end September 7, 2026, but on September 8, 2026 the federal government extended the suspension on gasoline, diesel and aviation fuel through January 31, 2027. Its published schedule then sets the gasoline excise at 5 cents per litre for February and March 2027 and returns it to the full 10 cents from April 1, 2027.
Correction — October 7, 2026: updated the provincial fuel tax from 13¢/L to the 0¢/L October–December rate, corrected the example totals and added adjustable provincial scenarios. The 2027 provincial rate is not assumed.
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