Province extending fuel tax relief for Albertans

Albertans will continue to save the 13-cent provincial fuel tax on every litre of gasoline or diesel they purchase for at least another three months.

“We’re helping Albertans save money through the fuel tax relief program at a time of need,” announced Premier Jason Kenney on Wednesday. “While fuel prices have continued to increase nationwide, Albertans still pay considerably less than their provincial neighbours. We’re pleased to extend this important relief measure until the end of September.”

With the fuel tax relief program in place, Albertans are expected to save money with every fill-up. With the corresponding reduction in GST, say government officials, this amounts to total savings of about $6.80 per tank for a compact car (50 litres), $7.21 for a small SUV (53 litres), $12.65 for a mid-size SUV (93 litres), $18.50 for a large pickup truck (136 litres) and $185.50 for a semi-trailer (1,364 litres).

The government says it has committed to evaluating the program quarterly and reinstating it in stages, only if the average price of West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude oil fell below $90 per barrel. For the four-week period ending June 15, WTI averaged $115.88 per barrel.