Buying Diesel in Canada

[Blackrock]

Fuel prices are sky high in Watson Lake, YT so make sure you fill up in Fort Nelson, maybe squeeze a bit more in at Toad River. Watson Lake to Whitehorse is a long stretch I made it but was on fumes coming in so get some fuel at Johnsons Crossing. Long stretch from Haines Junction to Tok Ak so fill up where you can.

[Filterman]

Originally Posted by mandb

We traveled probably close to 3000 miles in Canada last summer and never had that problem. We traversed Saskatchewan and Alberta, right to the edge of British Columbia and I don't remember one time I couldn't fill my 38 gallon tank. I remember one gas station on an Indian reservation that took my card until I returned.

I want to correct something I said before. You see gas sold by liters, not imperial gallons so I was wrong about that 20% additional discount. After the monetary conversion 4 liters is very close to a gallon.

4.54 litres per imp gallon.

[Filterman]

Costco will always be your best bet if there is one. The only place in BC I have seen showing a difference in cash and credit is Flying J .

[MilCop4523]

if not already suggested download the Gas Buddy app. you may get lucky finding stations that someone has posted the price.

[Vansteenburg]

The only problem we've ever encountered fueling in Canada, there were places it was both CHIP and PIN at the pump with your card. Make sure you know your PIN code for your credit card (or set it up) before you go. Even with these, you could still go inside and pre-pay/sign. BC is the only province I know of where you are required to prepay. We did run into a few stations (mainly the more remote towns) along the route to Alaska that only took the card inside and started the pumps.


A lot of stations prefer pre-pay, just like the US, and may even mark pre-pay before fill on the pumps to remind you.


On the few we had to pre-pay inside, we just figured the est of gals from the gas gauge (80Gal tank per specs), and converted the price from liters to gals (x4), multiply the guess by that value - sometimes added a cushion of 10-20%. Never had to go back inside to have them restart, only the receipt. That does create a temporary hold of the "guess" but then it changes to the actual value when the transaction is processed. If you did cash, it would be the same - prepay and go in and get your change.

[spock123]

I had a problem with gas stations in Canada, for starters I couldn’t make the card work right. Then I would see two charges pop up on my credit card for the same charge. I went to all cash, all Canadian money. I exchanged US dollars for Canadian dollars at a bank in Dawson Creek on a Saturday. I quit using my credit card in Canada. I had two credit cards that didn’t charge a foreign transaction fee. I found gas in Dawson Creek for .99 a liter if you paid in cash. I didn’t buy anymore diesel until I got to Tok Alaska. I had trouble with my extra fuel tank in Alaska and I had to buy diesel in Canada on the way back. On highway 37 I paid almost eight bucks a gallon for diesel but I had to have it. I plan on going back to Alaska this year and I have worked on my 100 gallon tank, bolted the tank to the bed of truck for one thing. Got a friend to do some welding on the tank. I can exchange money at my credit union here before I leave for Canada or I can make the exchange in Dawson Creek. The only way the exchange rate is going to be any cheaper is if you catch the rate cheaper before you go. I know nothing about exchanging money or what rate to look for. I exchanged $750. US dollars for Canadian and when I got to Dawson Creek I exchanged $1,000.00 more for Canadian. I still have Canadian money. This year when I cross the border I plan to have at least $1500 Canadian dollars. I use credit cards in the states and never cash except for eating out. I get cash back on both cards so it pays to use credit cards. I’ll only buy diesel one time in Canada. I paid with Canadian at campgrounds. We had a great time. We did have problems with the DEF on the truck but other than that the trip was great, can’t wait to go back. It’s like everywhere we go we met the nicest people in Canada. The roads in Canada were for the most part great, after Whitehorse about like the roads in Alaska. There was no trash along the highway like here. Have a great time

[Blackrock]

Tell us a little more about your plans to go to the Arctic Circle? I left my trailer at an RV park in Fairbanks and drove up and back to the Arctic Circle in June of 2016. Road conditions were bad to nasty with a lot of major road repairs underway. It took us 11 hours to make the round trip with a lot of sightseeing stops along the way.

[Filterman]

We did the trip all the way to Deadhorse with our Wildcat 28RKS in 2015 and consider it a trip if a lifetime![emoji3] Yes it’s most of 900 miles of unpaved road return but once you get far north the scenery is unforgettable. The key is SLOW and give yourself lots of time for the adventure. Probably averaged 40-45 mph over the trip watch for construction... make sure if a highway transport truck shows up in your mirror you stop when it is safe to do so and let them go (their earning money, we are spending it[emoji3]). There is no actual camping at Deadhorse so we spent 2 nights at a BLM camp sight in the mountains 100 miles from the coast and did a day trip to the Arctic Ocean and back. We did the round trip from Fairbanks over 5 days.
PS A must stop us the Hotspot Cafe just north of Yukon River crossing and Coldfoot both ways for fuel.

[glen1971]

Gas here in southern Alberta is about $1.11 CDN per liter.. That is about $4.18 USD per US Gallon, based on $0.80 exchange. The last price I've seen on diesel is about $1.25 CDN per liter, or $4.73 USD.

Your Good Sam card will give you a discount at Flying J. And they are larger so it makes it easier for RV's,

I've only had to prepay at certain gas stations. They list it on the pump and you can pre-pay in the store.. I've left my driver's license and they pump will turn the pump on.. I haven't seen a discount between prepay and credit card..

[Hutch333id]

Originally Posted by glen1971

Gas here in southern Alberta is about $1.11 CDN per liter.. That is about $4.18 USD per US Gallon, based on $0.80 exchange. The last price I've seen on diesel is about $1.25 CDN per liter, or $4.73 USD.

Your Good Sam card will give you a discount at Flying J. And they are larger so it makes it easier for RV's,

I've only had to prepay at certain gas stations. They list it on the pump and you can pre-pay in the store.. I've left my driver's license and they pump will turn the pump on.. I haven't seen a discount between prepay and credit card..

Glen, 1.11CDN = about .88c US. Gas then works out at about $3.35 US per gallon (3.78l per USGal) and diesel works out at about 3.78 US per gal (using the .80c exchange rate.

[WFD]

Originally Posted by Filterman

Costco will always be your best bet if there is one. The only place in BC I have seen showing a difference in cash and credit is Flying J .

Costco sells diesel in BC??? Sure wish they did here in MB...keep hearing it's coming, hope it is. If it's in BC, that gives me hope.

[Hutch333id]

Originally Posted by WFD

Costco sells diesel in BC??? Sure wish they did here in MB...keep hearing it's coming, hope it is. If it's in BC, that gives me hope.

There are a couple of Costco in AB that now sell diesel. One at a east Calgary and another in Grande Prairie that I know for sure. I also believe the is one in Saskatoon, SK and another in ON (Orillia).

They are increasing across Canada but very slowly.

[glen1971]

Originally Posted by Hutch333id

Glen, 1.11CDN = about .88c US. Gas then works out at about $3.35 US per gallon (3.78l per USGal) and diesel works out at about 3.78 US per gal (using the .80c exchange rate.

You're right.. I looked at the wrong column on my spreadsheet.. Thanks for correcting my numbers!