May 28, 2026 – The Nova Scotia Energy Board has issued an interim order under Section 24A of the Petroleum Products Pricing Regulations that increases the markup for gasoline and diesel retailers, as well as the credit card usage rate.
The order adds 1.7 cents per litre (cpl) to the retail markup, a charge factored into gas and diesel prices that’s going up to account for higher retailer operating costs. This brings the total markup to 7.1 cpl (up from 5.4 cpl currently).
The credit card usage rate is rising to 57% (up from 40% currently) as more people filling their tanks pay by credit card. This rate is used when calculating the total pump price to cover the cost of credit card fees charged to retailers.
These increases will be incorporated into the Board’s weekly setting of gasoline and diesel prices beginning at 12:01 a.m. on May 29, 2026. They will remain in effect until the Board completes a formal investigation into Nova Scotia’s gasoline and diesel retail markup and issues a further order.
On April 10, 2026, the Retail Gasoline Dealers Association (RGDA) applied to the Board, requesting an interim adjustment and review of the current retail markup, as well as an update to the credit card adjuster. It requested a 4.8 cpl increase to the markup, based on its analysis of operating cost increases in recent years.
The Board last set the retail markup in 2021, based on 2019 data. It is satisfied that an interim increase is needed to account for increases since 2019 to the minimum wage, inflation, and credit card usage. The Board used updated cost information and the approved methodology from 2021 to determine the amount of the interim increase, pending completion of a full investigation.
The Board’s investigation will be carried out under Section 24(2)(a) of the regulations, with a Hearing Order to be issued shortly outlining the timeline and procedural steps for a hearing.
As part of this process, Board Counsel will hire a consultant to prepare a detailed report, which is expected to examine the methodology used to calculate both the retail markup and the credit card adjuster. To support this work, the consultant will carry out a confidential survey of the retail industry, allowing retailers to provide information that will assist the Board in its review of the retail markup.
Information related to this case will be publicly available by searching M12800 here: https://uarb.novascotia.ca/fmi/webd/UARB15
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Media inquiries may be directed to:
Rebecca Brown
Communications Officer
Nova Scotia Energy Board
T: (902) 424-9282 TF: 1-833-809-0040 ext 9282