Elevated pump prices may be one factor behind softer demand. According to Kalibrate Canada’s Daily Pump Price Survey, the Canadian average regular-grade pump price was 182.2 cents per litre in Q2 2026, the second-highest quarterly average on record. The only higher quarter was Q2 2022, when prices averaged 194.2 cents per litre.
Canadian Gasoline Consumption, Quarter 2 Versus Quarter 1, 2021-2026
Longer-term changes in the vehicle fleet may also be contributing to softer gasoline demand over time. Statistics Canada data show that zero-emission and hybrid electric vehicles increased from 1.8% of total vehicle registrations in Q1 2017 to 24.3% in Q1 2026. Over the same period, registrations of gasoline-powered cars declined by 29.7%. (Table: 20-10-0025-01)
Proportion of Zero-Emission and Hybrid Electric of Vehicle Registrations, 2017-2026
Improved fuel efficiency is another structural factor. As older vehicles are retired from the vehicle fleet, a greater proportion of vehicles in the fleet is manufactured to meet higher fuel standards. Natural Resources Canada open data shows that the average combined city and highway fuel consumption for regular gasoline-powered vehicles declined from 12.98 L/100 km in 1995 to 9.86 L/100 km in 2026, representing a 24.1% decrease.
These national indicators point to pressure on gasoline consumption. The impact can vary significantly by market, brand, and competitive area. Kalibrate’s newly released half-year data helps illustrate how these trends are unfolding across more than 400 Canadian markets and towns. Submit your request for volume data: Request Data.
Market coverage of volume data is available in various means – nationally, provincially, regionally, municipally, or by unique competitive area. See the complete list of the markets we survey: Market Listing. Or use Kalibrate’s Site Select online mapping tool to find sites in the Canadian database.
