Although the overall popularity of tobacco products continues to wane, the Canadian tobacco industry was still worth about $2.3 billion in 2023.
The price of a pack of cigarettes in Canada will vary by Province, depending on things like taxes and the brand of cigarettes being purchased.
Currently, a pack of 20 cigarettes in Canada ranges from about $12 to $16 per pack depending on which Province you buy them in.
The price of cigarettes has risen in recent years as governments attempt to crack down on the industry.
Raising prices and implementing new taxes have been ways in which the government has attempted to mitigate the habit among Canadians.
Average Price Range for Cigarettes in Canada?
As with most products, you’ll find that the price ranges for cigarettes depending on which Province you are buying them.
In Canada, the average price range for cigarettes is between $12 and $16.
This price range is for a standard pack of 20 cigarettes and takes the average price for each brand.
This also means that some packs will be cheaper than $12 and some will be more expensive than the $16 upper price range.
What Impacts the Price of Cigarettes in Canada?
There are plenty of different factors that will impact the price of cigarettes in Canada.
As we mentioned, each Province will have different taxation rates and manufacturing and distribution expenses that are passed on to the consumer.
Provincial governments apply a tax on cigarettes in Canada.
The impact of this is two-fold: higher prices will hopefully deter people from smoking and additional taxes can be collected as revenue for the Province.
The effect of this is a varying range of prices for cigarettes across the country.
Consumers can see a similar impact on products like alcohol and even gasoline.
Manufacturing and distribution expenses can also vary by Province.
Some things that are taken into account with these expenses include storage, transportation and fuel costs, and even the wages of workers involved in the process.
As you might imagine, tobacco companies still want to make a healthy profit on cigarettes so as wages and costs rise, so too will the price of cigarettes in Canada.
Price Variation of Cigarettes by Province
In 2023, Statista released its report on the average price of a pack of 20 cigarettes in each Province.
As per that report, cigarettes were the most expensive in Newfoundland with an average price of $15.92.
The lowest price for a pack of cigarettes in Canada was in Quebec where the average price was just $11.68.
While it might not seem like much, Canadians in Newfoundland are paying nearly 30% more for a pack of cigarettes than those in Quebec.
The next highest price for a pack of cigarettes in Canada is in British Columbia where consumers are paying an average of $15.51.
Each of the other Provinces and Territories fell within these two prices.
It should be noted that all but three Provinces (Quebec, Alberta, and Ontario) had an average price of more than $14.00 for a pack of cigarettes.
Of course, which brand you choose also has an impact on the price of each pack of cigarettes.
Generally speaking, brands like Marlboro and Du Maurier are more expensive than the likes of Next or Players.
Canadian cigarettes are also often cheaper than imported packs from other countries.
Being a smoker isn’t cheap, especially if you live in Newfoundland.
The cost of a pack of cigarettes in Canada varies depending on where you are buying them.
With an average price of nearly $16 per pack, Newfoundland is the most expensive Province in Canada to be a smoker.
The rise in the price of cigarettes is no accident.
Governments continue to raise prices and add taxes to deter Canadians from smoking.
As popularity continues to decline, we will likely see the price of a pack of cigarettes in Canada continue to rise in the future.
