Gas prices in Canada are rising by up to 21 c/L tomorrow but here's where to find the savings
Meanwhile, one lucky city is expected to see prices drop. 👀
Gas prices are predicted to soar across Canada on Friday.
Buckle up, Canada — gas prices tomorrow are climbing fast across much of the country, with some cities even getting double-digit increases.
Gas prices in Canada are going up on Friday, and while some regions will only see modest bumps, others are bracing for the steepest jumps they've seen in a while.
Whether you're checking gas prices in Toronto, Calgary, Vancouver, Montreal or Ottawa, you'll want to know what's coming and where to find the cheapest gas before you head to the pump.
According to Canadian prediction site Gas Wizard, a bunch of major cities are in for hikes of 10 cents or more per litre for regular and upwards of 20 cents for premium gas, with the hardest-hit spots in the western part of the country.
Meanwhile, GasBuddy's crowdsourced data shows that today's national average is already trending upward — but some stations are still offering major bargains, if you know where to look.
But while most cities are bracing for price hikes, one lucky city is actually set for a small dip tomorrow.
Here's a full breakdown of what gas prices look like tomorrow across Canada so you know whether you should fill up now or wait for a better price — plus where the cheapest fill-ups can be found right now.
British Columbia
Gas Wizard predicts the following average prices for B.C. cities on Friday, August 22:
- Vancouver — 170.9 c/L (+4¢)
- Victoria — 168.9 c/L (+2¢)
- Kamloops — 158.9 c/L (+10¢)
- Prince George — 152.9 c/L (+7¢)
- Kelowna — 150.9 c/L (+10¢)
B.C. drivers are getting hit with across-the-board increases — although some are much more punishing than others. Vancouver continues to top the list, holding the title of Canada's most expensive major city, with prices pushing past 170 cents per litre for regular and even breaking $2 a litre for premium.
Victoria isn't far behind, while Kamloops and Kelowna are both looking at big spikes of 10 cents — some of the sharpest hikes in the country.
Even with its double-digit increase though, Kelowna's average remains the cheapest in the province and an eye-watering 20 cents less than Vancouver.
So far today, GasBuddy reports the cheapest deal in B.C. is at the Costco in Kamloops, where drivers have spotted prices as low as 137.9 c/L.
Prairies
Here's what Gas Wizard is forecasting for Alberta, Saskatchewan and Manitoba tomorrow:
- Calgary — 140.9 c/L (+12¢)
- Winnipeg — 139.9 c/L (+8¢)
- Edmonton — 136.9 c/L (+10¢)
- Regina — 135.9 c/L (no change)
- Saskatoon — 129.9 c/L (no change)
Alberta is seeing the steepest increases in Canada, with Calgary predicted to jump by 12 cents per litre — the largest single-day spike for regular fuel in the country. This also brings it higher than any Ontario city tomorrow, which is an oddity in a province that usually boasts some of the lowest prices in Canada. And drivers looking for premium grade are even worse off, with a whopping 21-cent increase expected in this Prairie city.
Meanwhile, Edmonton isn't far behind with a 10-cent hike for regular, and Winnipeg isn't looking much better, with drivers there looking at an 8-cent increase for tomorrow.
On the other hand, Saskatchewan stays steady, with Saskatoon projected to be the cheapest major city in the region, and one of the lowest nationwide.
GasBuddy's data shows the cheapest gas available right now in Alberta is at a Domo station in Calgary, with a reported price of 111.9 c/L — a deal you'll definitely want to snag before prices rise tomorrow. In Saskatchewan, Team Fuel Sales in Laird has gas for 124.8 c/L, while Manitoba's best deal is at Western Nations Gas Bar in Brandon for 123.5 c/L.
Ontario
Gas Wizard's predictions for Friday in Ontario are as follows:
- Thunder Bay — 138.9 c/L (+10¢)
- Ottawa — 136.9 c/L (no change)
- Oshawa & St. Catharines — 136.9 c/L (+7¢)
- Toronto, Markham & Oakville — 136.9 c/L (+1¢)
- Barrie, Brampton, Mississauga, Niagara, Waterloo & Windsor — 130.9 c/L (+1¢)
- London — 129.9 c/L (+1¢)
- Hamilton — 128.9 c/L (no change)
- Cornwall & Peterborough — 126.9 c/L (no change)
- Sudbury — 125.9 c/L (-1¢)
- Kingston — 124.9 c/L (no change)
Ontario drivers are mostly in for smaller changes, with many cities seeing just a penny increase. The biggest hike is in Thunder Bay, where prices are expected to climb by 10 cents, while Oshawa and St. Catharines will see a 7-cent bump.
On the flip side, Sudbury will actually see a slight drop of 1 cent per litre — the only major city projected to drop tomorrow. Kingston is set to be the cheapest major city in the country, holding steady at 124.9 cents per litre.
As for today, GasBuddy lists the lowest reported price in Ontario so far at Smokes Fuel and Convenience in Alderville First Nation, near Cobourg, where gas is going for just 103.9 c/L.
Quebec
According to Gas Wizard, here's what Quebec drivers can expect on Friday:
- Montreal — 157.9 c/L (+1¢)
- Quebec City — 142.9 c/L (no change)
Quebec drivers shouldn't see much movement on Friday. Montreal is set for a tiny increase of 1 cent, although it still remains the most expensive city outside of B.C. Quebec City stays flat at 142.9 cents.
For those fuelling up today, GasBuddy reports the lowest price in Quebec so far is at a Quickie in Gatineau, where drivers can reportedly find gas at 129.2 c/L.
Atlantic Canada
Here are Gas Wizard's Friday predictions for New Brunswick, Newfoundland, Nova Scotia and P.E.I.:
- St. John's — 151.3 c/L (+1¢)
- Charlottetown — 149.5 c/L (+0.5¢)
- Halifax — 146.7 c/L (+1.8¢)
- Fredericton, Moncton & Saint John — 146.6 c/L (+0.9¢)
Atlantic Canada isn't seeing double-digit swings like the Prairies and B.C., but modest increases are still on the way. Prices are expected to nudge up slightly by around 1 cent for regular fuel in every major city in the region.
While the Maritimes luckily aren't seeing the double-digit spikes hitting the Prairies and B.C., prices here are still on the higher side compared to the national average.
According to GasBuddy, the cheapest deal reported in the region so far this morning is Johnny's Gas Bar in Keswick, New Brunswick, at 139.9 c/L. Drivers in Summerside, P.E.I., can also find regular for 149.0 c/L at various stations, while Newfoundland's lowest is an Esso in St. John's offering 150.3 c/L.
National trends
GasBuddy's live ticker shows Canada's national average sitting at 137.7 cents per litre as of Thursday morning. That's up around 2 cents from yesterday's average and also up 2 cents compared to last week.
Here's how provincial averages stack up today, per GasBuddy:
- B.C. — 156.8 c/L
- Quebec — 149.8 c/L
- Newfoundland — 151.3 c/L
- P.E.I. — 149.2 c/L
- Nova Scotia — 145.4 c/L
- New Brunswick — 142.2 c/L
- Saskatchewan — 133.4 c/L
- Manitoba — 132.2 c/L
- Alberta — 130.4 c/L
- Ontario — 129.9 c/L
Looking at the big picture, Canadians are paying almost 21 cents less per litre than they did last year, when the consumer carbon tax was still in effect and the national average was 158.4 cents.
It's also well below the record high of 210.8 cents set in June 2022, when a global fuel shortage due in part to Russia's invasion of Ukraine sent prices soaring across the world.
So while tomorrow's hikes may sting in cities like Calgary, Kamloops and Vancouver, it's worth remembering that we're still far from the worst spikes seen in recent years.
The bottom line
If you're in Calgary, Edmonton, Kamloops, Kelowna or Thunder Bay, you'll definitely want to hit the pump today before Friday's double-digit hikes kick in.
Drivers in Winnipeg, Prince George, St. Catharines and Oshawa might also want to consider filling up today before their increases of 7 to 8 cents, which can still do considerable damage, depending on how big your tank is.
But if you're one of the lucky drivers in a spot that's holding steady — like Ottawa, Hamilton, Kingston, Saskatoon and Quebec City — there's no big rush. And folks in Sudbury might even be rewarded for waiting until tomorrow!
Just remember: Gas Wizard's predictions are daily averages, not guarantees, and GasBuddy relies on crowdsourced data that can vary from station to station. If you spot a good deal, it might be worth locking in no matter where you live.
AI tools may have been used to support the creation or distribution of this content; however, it has been carefully edited and fact-checked by a member of Narcity's Editorial team. For more information on our use of AI, please visit our Editorial Standards page.