With summer just around the corner with the road trips to follow, Airdrie and Alberta might see a change at the pumps.

Alberta's fuel tax was reinstated to its max of 13 cents a litre back in April after sitting at only 9 cents the months before that.

According to the province, the tax rates for diesel and gas are readjusted quarterly depending on the average price of a barrel of West Texas Intermediate (WTI) oil, one of the quarter marks being July 1.

“The fuel tax relief program is designed to save Albertans money when oil prices are high and bring in needed government revenue when oil prices drop. Since oil prices averaged below $80 per barrel during the most recent quarterly review period, the provincial fuel tax for gas and diesel will be 13 cents per litre starting April 1," stated President of Treasury Board and Minister of Finance Nate Horner earlier this year on the fuel tax.

Here is how the fuel tax works according to the province:

  • The fuel tax will be suspended whenever prices are at or above $90.
  • A partial fuel tax of 4.5 cents per litre will be applied whenever prices are $85 to $89.99.
  • A partial fuel tax of 9 cents per litre will be applied whenever prices are $80 to $84.99.
  • The fuel tax will be fully reinstated whenever prices fall below $80.
  • Fuel tax rates cannot increase more than 9 cents per litre per quarter when oil prices fall.

The oil price average is based on the 20 trading days of WTI price data leading up to the 16th day of the month preceding the start of the next quarter.

According to oilprices.com, WTI oil sits around the $74 mark meaning we would see no change in the tax as of right now.

Alberta’s government is committed to following through with the rate schedule we laid out for the fuel tax relief program last year. When oil prices go back up, the fuel tax rate will come back down. If oil prices rise above $79.99 per barrel, the program will kick back in and the fuel tax rate will drop," mentioned Horner earlier this year.

Alberta initially paused fuel taxes in April 2022 and has gradually reintroduced it to consumers since January 2023.

The current gas prices in Airdrie are around the $159.9 mark for regular and $157.9 for diesel.

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