When the U.S. and Israel first bombed Iran last month, the national average for gas was $1.29.9 a litre. By Tuesday, it was sitting at around $1.73.9 – a 44 cent jump. And with the war in the Middle East dragging on, prices could climb higher.
Canadians are feeling the pain at the pump. Short of driving less, the most effective way to get some relief is to maximize gas‑station loyalty programs, where the right strategy can deliver real savings.
Petro-Canada: Best for frequent fuellers
Abhijit Alka Anil/The Globe and Mail
Anyone with a long commute or who frequently drives, such as delivery drivers, real estate agents or tradespeople, may find Petro Canada’s new Platinum tier rewarding.
To qualify, you’ll need to pump 1,000 litres every three months – a fill up roughly twice a week. Hitting that threshold unlocks extra perks including 50 per cent more Petro‑Points, $25 in CT Money each quarter, and exclusive offers through both RBC and Triangle Rewards.
Those Petro‑Points can be redeemed for five cents off per litre, while CT Money can go toward everyday purchases at participating retailers, such as Canadian Tire, SportChek and Mark’s.
And if you use an RBC credit or debit card, you’ll automatically save three cents per litre and get 20 per cent more Avion points, as long as you link your Petro‑Points number and pay at the pump with your RBC card.
Esso and Mobil: Best for grocery savings
Fred Lum/The Globe and Mail
Among gas‑station loyalty programs, Esso and Mobil’s team‑up with PC Optimum arguably offers the most flexibility, since you can also rack up points at Loblaws‑owned grocery stores and Shoppers Drug Mart.
At Esso and Mobil stations, PC Optimum members earn 10 points per litre – a 1 per cent return. That jumps to 30 points with a PC Mastercard and 70 points with a PC Insiders World Elite Mastercard.
Redeeming points takes a bit of strategy. You can cash in 4,000 PC Optimum points for 10 cents off per litre, up to 40 litres. Fill up with anything less, and you won’t get full value.
Alternatively, you can bank your points and use them during Shoppers Drug Mart bonus redemption events. For instance, during a recent promo, you could redeem 250,000 points for $300 off – normally worth $250 – an extra $50 in value.
This won’t lower your gas bill, but it can definitely help offset other household expenses.
Shell: Best for stacking rewards
Fred Lum/The Globe and Mail
If you fill up at Shell, you’ve probably noticed a big change. Air Miles is out, and Scene+ is in. The switch is already live in Alberta and rolls out nationwide in May. With the right mix of cards, the savings can really stack up.
Under the new partnership, you’ll earn one Scene+ point per litre on all Shell fuel just by scanning your Scene+ card. If you link your Scene+ account to Shell Go+, you’ll get 10 per cent more points, plus double points on Shell’s top premium fuel.
For more savings, paying with a Tangerine credit card instantly gets you three cents off per litre. Since Tangerine lets you choose your own cash back categories, and gas is one of the options, there’s potential to earn up to 2 per cent additional cash back. That’s on top of the three cents per litre you can save as a CAA member.
Parkland: Best for travel rewards
Isabella Falsetti/The Globe and Mail
Parkland Corp., which operates Ultramar, Chevron, Fas Gas and Pioneer gas stations, collaborates with Aeroplan – the loyalty program of Air Canada.
Aeroplan members who link their accounts to Journie Rewards will earn one Journie Point per litre on gas. Journie Rewards can go toward discounts at Parkland-owned gas station stores. Once you’ve earned 300 Journie Rewards points, you also get 300 Aeroplan points. Unlinked Aeroplan members who enter their account number at the pump will earn one Aeroplan point per three litres.
On the redemption side, you can use 300 Aeroplan points for seven cents off per litre, up to 50 litres. That means you’re getting a maximum value of $3.50 or a cost per point of 1.17. However, since one Aeroplan point typically has a cost per point value of 1.5, you may be better off saving your points for flights.
Stick to a single credit card
Some people aren’t interested in juggling loyalty programs or planning their fill ups. If you prefer to gas up wherever it’s convenient, your best money-saving move is to use a credit card that gives you a strong return on fuel purchases.
The CIBC Dividend Visa Infinite and the American Express SimplyCash Preferred both offer 4 per cent cash back on gas, with annual fees of $120 and $119.88 ($9.99 billed monthly), respectively. If you’d rather avoid fees altogether, the RBC Ion Visa and Tangerine Money‑Back World Mastercard cards are excellent no‑fee alternatives.
Barry Choi is a personal finance and travel expert at moneywehave.com. He was previously affiliated with Petro-Canada, Canadian Tire, RBC, PC Optimum, Air Miles, Tangerine, Aeroplan and American Express but currently has no relationship with any of the brands.
