Written by David Matrick, editor of CheapGasToronto.ca. Price figures come from the station reports published on this site; tax and policy facts link to their official sources. See our About page for editorial standards and our disclaimer for price accuracy notes.
Short answer: at a typical September 2026 Toronto price of 179.9¢/L, about 29.7¢ of every litre is tax: 9¢ Ontario gasoline tax and 20.7¢ HST. The 10¢/L federal excise tax is suspended until January 31, 2027, and there has been no federal carbon charge since April 1, 2025. If nothing else changes, taxes will add about 5.6¢/L on February 1, 2027 and another 5.6¢/L on April 1, 2027.
This guide lists each tax, shows how HST is calculated on top of the others, and works through what the upcoming federal changes mean for a fill-up. All rates were checked against official sources on September 22, 2026. The links are in each section.
The taxes in an Ontario pump price today
| Tax | Gasoline | Diesel | Status (Sept 2026) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ontario Gasoline Tax / Fuel Tax | 9.0¢/L | 9.0¢/L | Permanent since July 1, 2025 |
| Federal excise tax | 0¢/L (normally 10¢) | 0¢/L (normally 4¢) | Suspended April 20, 2026 – January 31, 2027 |
| Federal fuel charge (carbon price) | 0¢/L | 0¢/L | Set to zero April 1, 2025 |
| HST | 13% of the price before HST, including the taxes above | Unchanged | |
Ontario gasoline tax: 9¢ per litre, now permanent
Ontario first cut its gasoline tax by 5.7¢/L and its fuel (diesel) tax by 5.3¢/L on July 1, 2022, as a temporary measure. The cut was extended several times. Effective July 1, 2025, the province made it permanent, fixing both rates at 9¢ per litre. The 2026 Ontario Budget says the measure has delivered $2.1 billion in relief since 2022. Sources: Ontario gasoline tax, 2026 Ontario Budget.
Federal excise tax: suspended until January 31, 2027
The federal excise tax is a flat 10¢/L on gasoline and 4¢/L on diesel. Ottawa suspended it on April 20, 2026. On September 8, 2026, the government extended the suspension through January 31, 2027, and published a two-step return:
| Period | Gasoline excise | Diesel excise |
|---|---|---|
| April 20, 2026 – January 31, 2027 | 0¢/L | 0¢/L |
| February 1 – March 31, 2027 | 5¢/L | 2¢/L |
| From April 1, 2027 | 10¢/L | 4¢/L |
Source: Government of Canada, September 8, 2026.
The carbon charge is gone, and it was the biggest one
From April 2024 to March 2025, the federal fuel charge on gasoline in Ontario was 17.61¢/L. With HST charged on top, that came to almost 20¢/L at the pump. The rate has been zero since April 1, 2025. It is a separate tax from the excise tax, so suspending one does not change the other. Source: CRA fuel charge rates.
How HST is calculated (it applies to the other taxes too)
HST is 13% of the price before HST, and that pre-HST price already includes the provincial tax and any federal excise. So a 1¢ change in excise changes the pump price by 1.13¢. To find the HST inside a posted price, multiply by 13/113 (about 11.5%), not by 13%. Source: CRA GST/HST rates.
Worked example: a 179.9¢/L Toronto price
179.9¢/L is close to the median regular price reported across Toronto stations on this site in mid-to-late September 2026. It breaks down as:
| HST (179.9 × 13/113) | 20.7¢ |
| Ontario gasoline tax | 9.0¢ |
| Federal excise (suspended) | 0.0¢ |
| Total tax | 29.7¢ (16.5% of the price) |
| Fuel, refining, distribution and retail margin | 150.2¢ |
On a 50-litre fill-up that's $89.95, of which about $14.85 is tax.
What February 1 and April 1, 2027 mean at the pump
Suppose the fuel and margin part of the price (150.2¢ above) stays the same. Then, with HST applied on top of the excise:
- February 1, 2027: +5¢ excise → about +5.6¢/L (185.5¢/L in the example). Diesel: +2¢ → about +2.3¢/L.
- April 1, 2027: another +5¢ → about +11.3¢/L compared with today (191.2¢/L). Diesel: about +4.5¢/L in total.
- On a 50-litre gasoline fill-up, that's about $2.82 more from February and $5.65 more from April.
Actual pump prices won't move by exactly these amounts. Crude oil, wholesale gasoline and retail competition change every day, and stations don't all adjust at the same moment. Treat these numbers as the tax part of the change, not a forecast of the pump price.
What is not a tax
About 150¢ of a 179.9¢ litre goes to crude oil, refining, transport and the retailer. That part moves daily, and it's why two Toronto stations a few kilometres apart can differ by 10–15¢/L on the same afternoon. Taxes are the same at every Ontario station, so the only part you can shop around on is the non-tax price. Compare it using today's cheapest Toronto stations or the average by Ontario city.
Frequently asked questions
Is there still a carbon tax on gas in Ontario?
No. The federal fuel charge was set to zero on April 1, 2025, and Ontario has no provincial carbon charge on gasoline.
When does the federal gas tax come back?
Half of it (5¢/L on gasoline) returns February 1, 2027 and the rest on April 1, 2027, unless the government changes the schedule again.
Is Ontario's 9¢ gas tax cut temporary?
No. It was temporary from 2022 to mid-2025 and became permanent on July 1, 2025.
Do I pay HST on the gas tax?
Yes. HST is charged on the price including the provincial gasoline tax and any federal excise.
Related: Ontario gas price trends in 2026 · Best times to fill up in Toronto