Alberta's surprise $2-billion surplus: Why not give drivers a break?
Canadian Taxpayers Federation Alberta Director Kris Sims joins me to discuss the province’s remarkable fiscal reversal, the government’s proposed fuel rebate and why she says politicians should deliver a straightforward tax cut instead of another government program.
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Alberta’s financial picture has undergone a dramatic turnaround, with the province’s latest budget update replacing a projected $9.4-billion deficit with a $2-billion surplus.
That is an $11.4-billion swing, driven largely by higher oil and gas revenues. But while the government’s coffers are suddenly flush, Albertans are still being hammered every time they fill their tanks.
Drivers in Alberta pay roughly 27 cents per litre in combined federal and provincial taxes. Cutting that full amount would save about $13.50 on a 50-litre fill-up, more than $20 on a 75-litre minivan tank and nearly $30 on a 110-litre pickup truck tank.
For a family buying 2,000 litres of fuel over a year, the savings would reach approximately $540.
The Alberta government directly controls only the province’s 13-cent-per-litre fuel tax, while Ottawa controls the remaining federal taxes. The Canadian Taxpayers Federation argues both governments should get their hands out of drivers’ pockets.
💰You are fighting to afford your life because Government takes too much of YOUR MONEY!
— Kris Sims (@kris_sims) August 20, 2026
⛽️ Alberta should cut the 13¢
per L fuel tax down to ZERO
🏛️ Ottawa should NOT hike the federal gas tax back up next month
✂️ Cut Gas Taxes NOW! pic.twitter.com/LG8bSjh9ll
On tonight’s episode of The Gunn Show, Canadian Taxpayers Federation Alberta Director Kris Sims joins me to discuss the province’s remarkable fiscal reversal, the government’s proposed fuel rebate and why she says politicians should deliver a straightforward tax cut instead of another government program.
🚨BREAKING NEWS:
— Kris Sims (@kris_sims) September 2, 2026
⛽️The gas tax will NOT be hiked this month
This is a big win for taxpayers
Feds say the gas tax cut will be extended until at least January 31, 2027
Government needs to make this tax cut PERMANENT pic.twitter.com/qOSUBruBJL
Is Alberta’s new surplus an opportunity to provide lasting relief at the pumps? And after campaigning on an automatic fuel-tax relief program tied to oil prices, why is the Smith government choosing rebates over simply dropping its tax?
Tonight, Sims breaks down Alberta’s budget update and calculates how much ordinary drivers could keep if governments eliminated the full 27 cents per litre in fuel taxes.
GUEST: Kris Sims, Alberta director of the Canadian Taxpayers Federation.
