Canada's Cigarette Price Index, Built From Tax Rates
Key takeaways
We could not open an official series of retail cigarette prices, so this index follows the tax that governments set on a carton of 200: federal excise plus provincial or territorial tobacco tax. Federal excise has risen 30.7% since April 2022 (index 130.7), and across the ten jurisdictions whose rates we confirmed, total tax per carton averages $95.98 in the fourth quarter of 2026.
A true cigarette price index would follow what stores charge. We could not find an official series of those prices that we could open and verify, and we do not use figures from retailers or the news. What governments publish is the tax on each carton, which is the largest part of a legal pack’s price and the part that changes by decision. This page builds an index from that.
How it is computed
Two measures, both from official tax rates:
- Federal excise index. The Canada Revenue Agency’s duty per carton of 200 (its rate per 5 cigarettes times 40), set to 100 in April 2022 and tracked forward.
- Provincial comparison index. For each province or territory, total government tax per carton: federal excise plus its own tobacco tax per carton (per-cigarette rate times 200). That total is divided by the average across ten jurisdictions, times 100. A value of 108 means 8% above the average.
Neither includes sales tax, the manufacturer’s price or any retail margin. The index measures tax, not shelf price.
Federal excise over time (April 2022 = 100)
Values are the rate in effect at the end of each quarter in which it changed.
| Quarter | Rate per carton | Index |
|---|---|---|
| Q2 2022 | $29.79 | 100.0 |
| Q2 2023 | $31.66 | 106.3 |
| Q2 2024 | $37.15 | 124.7 |
| Q2 2025 | $38.16 | 128.1 |
| Q2 2026 | $38.92 | 130.7 |
In every other quarter the rate is unchanged from the line above. The steps happen in April, and in 2024 there were two: $33.15 from 1 April, then $37.15 from 17 April. The index for the fourth quarter of 2026 is 130.7.
Where provinces sit, fourth quarter 2026
The ten-jurisdiction average of total tax per carton is $95.98. Ontario (index 79.0) and Quebec (79.9) are the lowest. The Northwest Territories (112.2), British Columbia (108.3) and Newfoundland and Labrador (108.3) are the highest. The full table, with changes from a year earlier, is on the Q4 2026 page.
What would improve it
If a verifiable official series of retail prices becomes available, this page will add it beside the tax index. Until then the index is a record of policy, not of the market. Rates for Quebec and Nova Scotia come from the latest official bulletins we could read, and a newer rate would change their position; the tax rates page explains each. For the long view, see the price history page, and for a straight ranking, the cheapest province page.
Figures are estimates for planning. Actual prices and taxes vary by seller and date. Read the full disclaimer.
Frequently asked questions
Is there an official cigarette price index for Canada?
We did not find one we could open and verify. Statistics Canada's website was unavailable on the review date, so no figure from its price tables appears here. This index is built from tax rates instead, and it is not a retail price index.
How is the index computed?
For each jurisdiction we add federal excise per carton of 200 (the CRA rate per 5 cigarettes times 40) to its provincial tobacco tax per carton (its per-cigarette rate times 200). We then divide by the average of the ten jurisdictions and multiply by 100, so 100 means the ten-jurisdiction average.
Why are New Brunswick, Yukon and Nunavut left out?
Their official rate pages refused access when we checked, and we do not index rates we have not read.
Sources
- Excise duty rates — Canada Revenue Agency. Accessed October 27, 2026.
- Ontario: tobacco tax rates — Ontario Ministry of Finance. Accessed October 27, 2026.
- Alberta: tax and levy rates — Government of Alberta. Accessed October 27, 2026.
- British Columbia: tobacco tax — Government of British Columbia. Accessed October 27, 2026.
- Quebec: Information Bulletin 2023-2 — Ministère des Finances du Québec. Accessed October 27, 2026.