Gatineau vs Ottawa gas prices
Gap: +5.5¢tax rules alone: 14.6¢/L
Ottawa's weekly provincial survey put regular at 175.9¢/L for the week of September 28. Across the river, Gatineau's 65 stations average 181.4¢/L right now; that is +5.5¢ on the Quebec side.
The gap is far smaller than the tax rules alone predict. Quebec charges 19.2¢ a litre in fuel tax plus GST and QST (14.975% combined); Ontario charges 9¢ plus 13% HST, which should leave Gatineau about 14.6¢/L dearer. Quebec's reduced fuel tax near the Ontario line, and stations competing for the same commuters, close most of it.
If you are filling up in Gatineau anyway, the lowest posted price is 172.9¢/L at Shell, 135 rue Montcalm. Stations close to the Ontario line pay a reduced Quebec fuel tax, so prices are not uniform within the Outaouais either.
The tax wedge
| Item | Quebec | Ontario |
|---|---|---|
| Pre-tax price (same) | 138.6 | 138.6 |
| Provincial fuel tax | 19.2 | 9.0 |
| Sales taxes | 23.6 | 19.2 |
| Pump price | 181.4 | 166.8 |