What changes from one province to the next on a new car. The price and freight are the same across Canada for almost every brand; the tax, fees, rebates, energy and insurance are not.
The short answer
On a $40,000car, sales tax is most of the difference: 5% GST alone in Alberta and the territories, up to 15% HST in Atlantic Canada, and BC's PST climbs with the price.
$2,060Lowest: Nunavut
$6,225Highest: Quebec
Tax, first-year registration and levies on a $40,000 car
Nunavut
$2,060
Yukon
$2,088
Northwest Territories
$2,089
Alberta
$2,122
Saskatchewan
$4,488
British Columbia
$4,923
Manitoba
$4,946
Ontario
$5,313
Nova Scotia
$5,840
Newfoundland and Labrador
$6,102
Prince Edward Island
$6,116
New Brunswick
$6,185
Quebec
$6,225
Nunavut
✓ $2,060
GST 5%
$60, then $60/yr
—
$5,000
None
—
29.3¢/kWh
No figure
Yukon
$2,088
GST 5%
$60, then $60/yr
$28
$5,000
None
$1.76/L
12.1¢/kWh
No figure
Northwest Territories
$2,089
GST 5%
$89, then $89/yr
—
$5,000
None
$1.63/L
25.5¢/kWh
No figure
Alberta
$2,122
GST 5%
$102, then $102/yr
$20
$5,000
$200/yr
$1.47/L
22.9¢/kWh
88% of Ontario
Saskatchewan
$4,488
GST + PST 11%
$68, then $68/yr
$20
$5,000
$300/yr
$1.52/L
17.9¢/kWh
66% of Ontario
British Columbia
$4,923
12% to 25%, by price
$97, then $61/yr
$26
$5,000
None
$1.87/L
12.6¢/kWh
74% of Ontario
Manitoba
$4,946
GST + RST 12%
$126, then $119/yr
$20
$9,000 (Manitoba EV rebate $4,000 to undefined)
None
$1.49/L
10.5¢/kWh
60% of Ontario
Ontario
$5,313
HST 13%
$91, then $0
$22
$5,000
None
$1.56/L
15.6¢/kWh
100% of Ontario
Nova Scotia
$5,840
HST 14%
$222, then $111/yr
$18
$5,000
$250/yr
$1.62/L
20.5¢/kWh
70% of Ontario
Newfoundland and Labrador
$6,102
HST 15%
$90, then $90/yr
$12
$5,000
None
$1.74/L
15.6¢/kWh
68% of Ontario
Prince Edward Island
$6,116
HST 15%
$100, then $100/yr
$16
$5,000
None
$1.71/L
19.7¢/kWh
56% of Ontario
New Brunswick
$6,185
HST 15%
$167, then $117/yr
$18
$5,000
None
$1.62/L
16.6¢/kWh
62% of Ontario
Quebec
$6,225
GST + QST 14.975%
$217, then $217/yr
$18
$7,000 (Roulez vert $2,000 to 2026-12-31)
$125/yr
$1.72/L
10.5¢/kWh
80% of Ontario
Nunavut
✓ $2,060
Tax and fees on $40,000
Sales tax GST 5%Registration and plates $60, then $60/yrTire levy (and OMVIC) —EV rebates $5,000EV fee NoneGas —Electricity 29.3¢/kWhInsurance level No figure
Yukon
$2,088
Tax and fees on $40,000
Sales tax GST 5%Registration and plates $60, then $60/yrTire levy (and OMVIC) $28EV rebates $5,000EV fee NoneGas $1.76/LElectricity 12.1¢/kWhInsurance level No figure
Northwest Territories
$2,089
Tax and fees on $40,000
Sales tax GST 5%Registration and plates $89, then $89/yrTire levy (and OMVIC) —EV rebates $5,000EV fee NoneGas $1.63/LElectricity 25.5¢/kWhInsurance level No figure
Alberta
$2,122
Tax and fees on $40,000
Sales tax GST 5%Registration and plates $102, then $102/yrTire levy (and OMVIC) $20EV rebates $5,000EV fee $200/yrGas $1.47/LElectricity 22.9¢/kWhInsurance level 88% of Ontario
Saskatchewan
$4,488
Tax and fees on $40,000
Sales tax GST + PST 11%Registration and plates $68, then $68/yrTire levy (and OMVIC) $20EV rebates $5,000EV fee $300/yrGas $1.52/LElectricity 17.9¢/kWhInsurance level 66% of Ontario
British Columbia
$4,923
Tax and fees on $40,000
Sales tax 12% to 25%, by priceRegistration and plates $97, then $61/yrTire levy (and OMVIC) $26EV rebates $5,000EV fee NoneGas $1.87/LElectricity 12.6¢/kWhInsurance level 74% of Ontario
Manitoba
$4,946
Tax and fees on $40,000
Sales tax GST + RST 12%Registration and plates $126, then $119/yrTire levy (and OMVIC) $20EV rebates $9,000 (Manitoba EV rebate $4,000 to undefined)EV fee NoneGas $1.49/LElectricity 10.5¢/kWhInsurance level 60% of Ontario
Ontario
$5,313
Tax and fees on $40,000
Sales tax HST 13%Registration and plates $91, then $0Tire levy (and OMVIC) $22EV rebates $5,000EV fee NoneGas $1.56/LElectricity 15.6¢/kWhInsurance level 100% of Ontario
Nova Scotia
$5,840
Tax and fees on $40,000
Sales tax HST 14%Registration and plates $222, then $111/yrTire levy (and OMVIC) $18EV rebates $5,000EV fee $250/yrGas $1.62/LElectricity 20.5¢/kWhInsurance level 70% of Ontario
Newfoundland and Labrador
$6,102
Tax and fees on $40,000
Sales tax HST 15%Registration and plates $90, then $90/yrTire levy (and OMVIC) $12EV rebates $5,000EV fee NoneGas $1.74/LElectricity 15.6¢/kWhInsurance level 68% of Ontario
Prince Edward Island
$6,116
Tax and fees on $40,000
Sales tax HST 15%Registration and plates $100, then $100/yrTire levy (and OMVIC) $16EV rebates $5,000EV fee NoneGas $1.71/LElectricity 19.7¢/kWhInsurance level 56% of Ontario
New Brunswick
$6,185
Tax and fees on $40,000
Sales tax HST 15%Registration and plates $167, then $117/yrTire levy (and OMVIC) $18EV rebates $5,000EV fee NoneGas $1.62/LElectricity 16.6¢/kWhInsurance level 62% of Ontario
Quebec
$6,225
Tax and fees on $40,000
Sales tax GST + QST 14.975%Registration and plates $217, then $217/yrTire levy (and OMVIC) $18EV rebates $7,000 (Roulez vert $2,000 to 2026-12-31)EV fee $125/yrGas $1.72/LElectricity 10.5¢/kWhInsurance level 80% of Ontario
Sales tax from the Canada Revenue Agency's rate table and BC's PST bulletin 308. Registration from each province's own fee page (a mid-size car of about 1,600 kg; Quebec's includes the SAAQ insurance contribution). EV rebates: the federal EV Affordability Program pays up to $5,000 on cars up to $50,000 unless Canadian-made, dropping to $4,000 on January 1, 2027. Gas: Statistics Canada, 12-month average for the main city. Electricity: Hydro-Québec's comparison of major cities, all-in at 1,000 kWh a month. Insurance level: each province's average premium against Ontario's (Statistics Canada, and GISA for the Atlantic provinces); the territories publish no average. Pick your province in the Finder and every cost on the site uses these.