Fuel prices are surging in Nova Scotia and New Brunswick, with both provinces seeing significant price hikes over the past few weeks.

The minimum price of regular self-serve rose seven cents per litre overnight in Nova Scotia, mirroring a similar increase in New Brunswick over the weekend.

Nova Scotia’s Energy Board invoked the interrupter clause six times in March, in response to what the board calls significant shifts in market price.” That’s already more price adjustments than all of 2025.

The price of gas is currently almost $1.83 per litre in Halifax, which is a 44-cent increase in March alone as fuel markets are being impacted by the ongoing war in the Middle East.

“We need to have some kind of reprieve at the pumps,” said Halifax driver, Rebecca MacEachern.

“The groceries, the prices, obviously have to do with trucks, transportation, fuel, airlines, it’s affecting everybody.”

The rising costs have drivers and advocates calling on provincial governments to provide relief, with some floating the idea of cutting or reducing provincial gas taxes.

The Canadian Taxpayers Federation estimates drivers in the two provinces are paying about 48 cents a litre in taxes.

“Essentially over a quarter of the price that a Nova Scotian or a New Brunswicker pays at the pump is gas taxes alone,” said Devin Drover, the group’s Atlantic director.

“Cut gas taxes, even to the extent Newfoundland and Labrador did, way back in 2022. You’d be saving hundreds of dollars a year for households in both provinces. So I think now is a prime opportunity to do that.”

Newfoundland and Labrador actually advanced legislation on Monday to make their temporary reduction in provincial tax on gas and diesel into a permanent reduction.

However, New Brunswick’s energy minister says financial constraints make that a distant reality.

“Tax relief would be exceedingly expensive for us to make any kind of mark in fighting the Iran war, to make a difference,” said Min. René Legacy.

“And obviously the position the province is now I don’t think we have the means to make anything significant there.”

New Brunswick recently tabled a $15.6-billion budget that forecasted a historic $1.4-billion deficit. 

When asked about reducing the provincial fuel tax in Nova Scotia, Premier Tim Houston referred to his government’s one-percentage drop in HST in April of last year.

“There’s HST in the price of gas so that one per cent shows up every time somebody fills up,” said Houston.

“That’s why I think those tax reductions are so significant because they’re so across the board, they impact all Nova Scotians.”

Nova Scotia passed its own controversial budget within this past week that projected a $1.24-billion deficit.

In the meantime, drivers are just hoping to see some relief — wherever that may be.

“It effects everything, from the top down,” said MacEachern.

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