Published: December 1, 2015, 7:40 AM
Updated: December 2, 2015, 6:53 PM
What's happened to gas prices across Canada?
An update on the gas prices across the country, as of November 30.
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National average gas price is 101.5 cents/litre
After bottoming out early in 2015, gasoline prices in Canada climbed steadily until they peaked at mid-year but, with a few bumps along the way and depending on where one lives, they've been on a gradual decline since the end of July. As we head into the tail end of 2015, the national average for regular gas at a self-serve pump is 101.5 cents/litre.
They're far from uniform across the country, however. Here's a breakdown of the average gas prices by province and in major cities, from highest to lowest. Note that these prices are averages and may vary significantly among outlets within any given location. (Prices courtesy GasBuddy.com)
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British Columbia - 114.9 cents/litre
British Columbia continues its easy reign as the most expensive province in Canada to buy gas, with an average of 114.9 cents/litre for regular fuel. Because of extra carbon taxes in the city of Vancouver, the price there is 125.1 cents/litre. Perhaps strangely, in the city of Victoria its slightly under the average at 114.6, despite its own – albeit smaller – extra carbon tax.
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Quebec - 108.5 cents/litre
Prices in Quebec have been on a slight rise to the current average of 108.5 cents/litre. Montreal is still very pricey thanks to its extra consumption tax, but with its figure of $109.2 cents/litre it is not the most expensive big city in the province. That distinction goes to the provincial capital of Quebec City, where the price i even higher at 113.9 cents/litre.
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Ontario - 101.7 cents/litre
Despite it being a hub for refining in the eastern half of Canada, Ontario has seen regular and steady hikes to its average prices. That’s resulted in Ontario moving into third place among the most expensive provinces for gasoline heading into December. The average price there currently sits at 101.7 cents/litre after a five-cent rise in the last month. Canada’s capital region of Ottawa has averages just under the national average at 100.7 cents/litre, while it's quite a bit higher in Canada’s most populous city – Toronto – at 104.7 cents/litre.
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Newfoundland and Labrador - 101.1 cents/litre
For the first time in recent memory, Newfoundland and Labrador do not have the second- or third-most-expensive gas prices in the country. Even though it’s currently at 101.1 cents/litre after a small recent rise of 0.1 cents/litre, it was bumped out of its traditional spot by Ontario.
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Nova Scotia - 100.0 cents/litre
The average gas price in Nova Scotia is exactly 100.0 cents/litre – a Loonie – slightly below the Canadian average, and it has been very stable around that figure for a couple months now. In the major population hub of Halifax it is slightly lower at 99.5 cents/litre.
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New Brunswick - 98.1 cents/litre
Even with a two-cent hike in its immediate past, New Brunswick still enjoys sub-dollar/litre prices at the pump. They've been holding steady at around 98.1 cents/litre for over a month now, and remain well below the Canadian average.
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Prince Edward Island - $98.0/litre
PEI's average price is well under both the mythical dollar/litre and also the Canadian average at 98.0 cents/litre. That figure is down by 0.6 cents/litre recently, and could go continue to drop before the holidays.
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Saskatchewan - 91.9 cents/litre
Saskatchewan remains one of the least expensive places to buy gas in Canada, aided by a recent five-cent drop to 91.9 cents/litre. Prices in both the provincial capital of Regina at 86.6 cents/litre, and the city of Saskatoon at 86.9 cents/litre are significantly below even that figure.
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Manitoba - 89.2 cents/litre
At 89.2 cents/litre, Manitoba has the second-lowest average price for gas in Canada, helped by a recent drop of almost five cents/litre. In Winnipeg – the largest city in the province – it is even lower with an average of 87.2 cents/litre.
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Alberta - 88.9 cents/litre
Even with an added fuel tax implemented by the new NDP government when it gained power this spring, Alberta still has the lowest average gas prices in Canada at 88.9 cents/litre. The average for Calgary is essentially the same as the provincial average, while Edmonton, which is the closest major city to Canada’s largest source of petroleum, has an average price of just 83.7 cents/litre.
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