The data on this page were collected on the dates shown by taking note of the information presented on the pump when gasoline was being purchased. Most of the gas was bought in western Canada, specifically Victoria, British Columbia. Some of it was bought on (nearly) cross-country trips as far east as Toronto. The blue line on the plot below is a simple linear best fit to the data. The dates of the longer trips are obvious on the plot. They are identified by the dense red regions along the line.
I've been experimenting with correcting the data for inflation. The green line on the plot shows the cost corrected to the value of the dollar in June of 2002 using the Consumer Price Index from the Bank of Canada.
This data was collected by me. There are bound to be confounding factors tied up in these data. For example, BC introduced an (excellent) escalating carbon tax on gasoline (among other things) in July 2008. Local government (Greater Victoria Capital Regional District, CRD) has additional taxes that may have changed at times during this record. Sadly, I had a notebook with our gas purchases from the late eighties to the beginning of this record which has been lost!
Fuel prices are shown in red. The green curve is the fuel price corrected for inflation. The red line is the best linear fit to the red curve. The dark green line is the best fit to the green curve. The slopes of the lines, giving the average rate of change (increase) of the price of gasoline over the period of the data, are shown on the plot in corresponding colours.
All this means that, on average, the price of gasoline where I have bought it (mostly in Victoria BC) has risen at a rate of 4.9 cents per year in unadjusted, experiential cents. If one factors in the Consumer Price Index as a measure of inflation the the price has risen at a rate of 3.0 cents per year in equivalent, comparable cents.
Here are the data. These are uncorrected for inflation.
Year Mn Dy Cents/Litre =============================== 1998 01 17 52.9 1998 02 17 52.5 1998 03 30 47.9 1998 04 26 52.4 1998 05 24 52.4 1998 06 27 52.4 1998 07 19 51.9 1998 07 30 49.9 1998 07 31 55.9 1998 08 02 49.9 1998 08 05 56.9 1998 08 06 54.9 1998 08 06 55.9 1998 08 08 53.9 1998 08 10 59.4 1998 08 10 53.5 1998 08 11 53.9 1998 08 12 49.9 1998 08 16 50.9 1998 08 17 51.9 1998 09 02 55.9 1998 10 03 53.9 1998 10 31 53.7 1998 11 22 53.7 1998 12 20 49.9 1999 01 31 49.9 1999 02 28 49.9 1999 04 01 58.9 1999 04 15 58.6 1999 05 07 58.4 1999 06 07 60.5 1999 07 16 62.9 1999 09 27 64.9 1999 12 05 64.9 1999 12 31 61.9 2000 01 23 64.9 2000 02 11 64.9 2000 03 07 72.9 2000 04 03 71.9 2000 04 04 67.9 2000 04 04 68.9 2000 04 05 66.9 2000 04 06 72.9 2000 04 06 71.9 2000 04 06 69.5 2000 04 07 72.9 2000 04 08 71.9 2000 04 08 75.9 2000 04 08 75.5 2000 04 09 72.9 2000 04 10 65.9 2000 04 11 62.5 2000 04 24 62.7 2000 04 25 67.9 2000 04 26 72.9 2000 04 27 67.3 2000 04 28 74.9 2000 04 30 62.5 2000 05 01 67.9 2000 05 01 61.9 2000 05 02 62.9 2000 05 03 67.9 2000 07 27 76.9 2000 08 27 76.9 2000 09 29 80.9 2000 11 02 79.9 2000 11 19 79.9 2000 12 21 75.9 2001 01 26 73.9 2001 03 02 73.9 2001 04 16 71.9 2001 05 29 82.9 2001 07 06 73.9 2001 07 28 72.9 2001 07 30 67.9 2001 08 02 66.9 2001 08 05 63.9 2001 08 07 67.9 2001 08 11 71.9 2001 09 18 81.9 2001 10 19 73.9 2001 11 17 66.9 2001 12 21 61.9 2002 01 23 63.9 2002 02 21 63.9 2002 03 06 70.9 2002 04 15 75.0 2002 05 25 75.5 2002 05 26 75.5 2002 06 26 75.5 2002 06 27 72.9 2002 06 27 72.9 2002 07 02 69.4 2002 07 04 72.9 2002 07 04 72.9 2002 07 23 77.9 2002 08 30 77.9 2002 10 05 77.5 2002 11 09 77.5 2002 12 13 74.5 2002 12 31 74.5 2003 02 14 84.9 2003 03 09 88.4 2003 04 11 83.5 2003 05 11 79.9 2003 06 13 79.9 2003 07 15 79.9 2003 07 27 79.9 2003 08 26 89.9 2003 09 26 79.9 2003 10 26 76.9 2003 11 08 76.9 2003 12 01 74.5 2003 12 16 74.5 2004 01 06 74.5 2004 01 20 77.5 2004 01 31 79.9 2004 02 21 79.9 2004 03 09 84.9 2004 03 30 84.9 2004 04 18 87.5 2004 05 09 95.9 2004 06 08 98.5 2004 06 28 94.9 2004 07 13 93.9 2004 08 03 93.9 2004 08 29 93.9 2004 09 16 93.9 2004 10 03 93.9 2004 10 23 93.9 2004 11 09 92.5 2004 12 06 87.9 2004 12 18 89.9 2005 01 08 82.9 2005 01 21 82.9 2005 02 03 94.9 2005 02 08 88.9 2005 02 21 88.9 2005 03 04 92.9 2005 03 16 92.9 2005 04 05 96.9 2005 04 17 102.9 2005 05 03 107.9 2005 05 15 100.9 2005 05 29 96.9 2005 06 08 96.9 2005 06 19 99.9 2005 07 02 105.9 2005 07 09 86.4 2005 07 24 99.9 2005 08 08 104.9 2005 08 16 108.9 2005 09 02 117.9 2005 09 17 114.9 2005 09 30 114.9 2005 10 04 113.9 2005 10 21 106.9 2005 11 01 100.9 2005 11 16 96.9 2005 11 26 94.9 2005 12 09 91.9 2005 12 27 91.9 2006 01 12 102.9 2006 01 21 96.9 2006 02 04 93.9 2006 02 17 93.9 2006 02 24 93.9 2006 03 08 97.9 2006 03 19 101.9 2006 03 28 106.9 2006 04 10 110.9 2006 04 22 115.9 2006 05 09 119.9 2006 05 25 119.9 2006 06 07 119.9 2006 06 27 114.9 2006 07 07 115.9 2006 07 15 115.1 2006 07 21 115.1 2006 08 03 119.9 2006 08 19 117.9 2006 09 02 103.9 2006 09 14 101.9 2006 09 28 99.9 2006 10 11 99.9 2006 10 25 99.9 2006 11 05 97.9 2006 11 18 99.9 2006 12 02 99.9 2006 12 14 103.9 2006 12 27 106.9 2007 01 11 104.9 2007 01 23 98.9 2007 02 03 95.9 2007 02 15 99.9 2007 03 03 102.9 2007 03 17 110.5 2007 04 06 114.5 2007 04 21 118.5 2007 05 24 122.5 2007 06 07 116.5 2007 06 19 111.5 2007 06 30 111.5 2007 07 04 105.9 2007 07 05 110.0 2007 07 06 113.9 2007 07 07 100.9 2007 07 08 113.9 2007 07 08 110.9 2007 07 11 114.4 2007 07 12 114.9 2007 07 13 121.9 2007 07 13 106.9 2007 07 15 106.5 2007 07 17 106.4 2007 07 19 98.0 2007 07 21 99.2 2007 07 24 97.1 2007 07 25 94.4 2007 07 27 108.7 2007 07 27 106.9 2007 07 28 105.5 2007 07 28 116.9 2007 07 29 110.9 2007 07 29 113.9 2007 07 30 111.9 2007 07 30 105.9 2007 07 31 109.4 2007 07 31 99.4 2007 08 08 108.9 2007 08 24 105.9 2007 09 07 109.9 2007 09 16 109.9 2007 09 26 106.9 2007 10 06 102.9 2007 10 17 101.9 2007 10 25 100.9 2007 11 02 105.9 2007 11 12 105.9 2007 11 21 109.9 2007 11 25 109.9 2007 12 04 109.9 2007 12 13 107.9 2007 12 21 107.9 2008 01 07 109.9 2008 01 15 109.9 2008 01 24 107.9 2008 02 03 107.9 2008 02 11 107.9 2008 02 22 113.9 2008 02 25 110.4 2008 03 01 113.9 2008 03 09 113.9 2008 03 19 117.9 2008 03 28 121.4 2008 04 06 121.4 2008 04 15 121.4 2008 04 23 124.9 2008 05 02 129.9 2008 05 14 136.9 2008 05 25 136.9 2008 06 02 136.9 2008 06 07 139.9 2008 06 13 136.4 2008 06 22 146.9 2008 06 27 146.9 2008 07 08 144.9 2008 07 18 148.9 2008 07 27 142.9 2008 08 03 142.9 2008 08 13 142.9 2008 08 20 142.9 2008 08 31 142.9 2008 09 09 138.9 2008 09 18 134.9 2008 10 01 129.9 2008 10 09 121.9 2008 10 17 118.9 2008 10 29 110.9 2008 11 05 104.9 2008 11 14 97.9 2008 11 24 92.9 2008 12 02 85.4 2008 12 08 86.9 2008 12 18 81.9 2008 12 24 81.9 2009 01 09 89.9 2009 01 17 94.9 2009 01 28 94.9 2009 02 04 92.9 2009 02 12 99.9 2009 02 25 93.9 2009 03 04 93.9 2009 03 12 99.9 2009 03 16 93.9 2009 03 23 98.9 2009 04 01 96.9 2009 04 04 96.9 2009 04 11 96.9 2009 04 18 99.9 2009 04 25 98.9 2009 05 05 102.9 2009 05 17 102.9 2009 05 26 107.9 2009 05 31 107.9 2009 06 02 107.9 2009 06 18 106.9 2009 06 25 106.9 2009 06 26 106.9 2009 07 11 108.9 2009 07 21 98.9 2009 07 29 101.9 2009 08 03 102.9 2009 08 29 107.9 2009 09 04 105.5 2009 09 15 109.9 2009 09 16 109.5 2009 10 01 102.9 2009 10 16 97.9 2009 10 27 106.9 2009 11 07 105.9 2009 11 21 104.9 2009 11 29 99.9 2009 11 30 104.9 2009 12 01 104.9 2009 12 09 104.9 2009 12 16 102.9 2009 12 22 102.9 2010 01 03 105.5 2010 01 14 103.9 2010 01 25 97.9 2010 02 02 97.9 2010 02 15 102.9 2010 03 05 102.9 2010 03 20 107.9 2010 03 31 107.9 2010 03 31 107.9 2010 04 09 105.9 2010 04 24 105.9 2010 05 07 105.9 2010 05 07 105.9 2010 05 11 105.9 2010 05 26 110.9 2010 06 12 110.9 2010 06 20 110.9 2010 06 22 109.9 2010 06 30 110.9 2010 07 05 112.0 2010 07 07 112.0 2010 07 18 112.0 2010 07 30 112.0 2010 08 14 112.0 2010 08 29 112.0 2010 09 10 112.0 2010 09 26 109.9 2010 10 04 109.9 2010 10 10 109.9 2010 10 13 109.9 2010 11 01 114.9 2010 11 04 114.9 2010 11 19 112.9 2010 11 30 112.9 2010 11 30 112.9 2010 12 01 110.9 2010 12 13 112.9 2010 12 15 112.9 2010 12 26 112.9 2011 01 15 112.9 Date is year, month, day. The price is listed in cents (unadjusted). Most of the fuel was purchased in Victoria. Some was purchased as far east as Toronto.