Many Canadians limiting or cancelling road trips this summer due to high fuel costs
· Toronto Sun
Airlines aren’t the only ones cutting back due to rising fuel costs.
Many Canadians are planning to cancel or cut down on road trips this summer due to the high fuel costs prompted by the turmoil in the Middle East, including the Iran war, according to a survey conducted by Probe Research for the Tire and Rubber Association of Canada, a national trade association representing tire makers, rubber products manufacturers and importers
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Two-thirds of Canadian drivers (about 66%) stated that high gas prices are the reason behind any cancellation or cutting back of road trips. About 81% of those surveyed said they still plan on taking at least one day or overnight trip, while 70% believe the high gas prices are the “new normal” and here to stay.
Cross-border trips not a priority
Gas prices have soared ever since the Strait of Hormuz closed as a result of the ongoing war between the United States and Iran. The Strait of Hormuz is where one-fifth of the world’s oil gets shipped through.
Fuel costs were about $1.30 a litre before the war began in February. Prices were as high as $1.90 a litre in some parts of Ontario this past weekend.
This greatly affects cross-border trips as well, with more than two-thirds, or 68%, not planning a U.S. road trip this year. More than 51% cancelled over-the-border trips last year, with 10% heading south of the border in 2026, the survey noted.
“With gas prices continuing to impact travel plans, many Canadians are looking for practical ways to save at the pump,” Carol Hochu, president and CEO of the Tire and Rubber Association of Canada, said in a media release.
The survey queried 1,000 Canadian drivers April 6-14 via a national online panel. A probability sample of the same size would yield a margin of error of +/-3.1%, 19 times out of 20.