Consumption

Canadian Refined Petroleum Product Consumption

Refined petroleum product (RPP) demand in Canada peaked in 2019 at roughly 1.6 MMB/d, growing over 30% from 1995 levels. RPP demand has yet to recover to pre-COVID levels as the demand for motor gasoline and aviation fuel continues to rebound. Diesel and motor gasoline accounted for roughly 86% of RPP demand in 2024.

Provincial Refined Petroleum Product Consumption

Ontario is the largest consumer of refined petroleum products (RPPs) in Canada. Given its higher population, motor gasoline demand in Ontario was the highest in Canada in 2024. Provinces such as Alberta, B.C., Saskatchewan, and Manitoba consume a higher proportion of diesel for agriculture, and for heavy industry and trucking. Provinces in Atlantic Canada utilize a higher proportion of fuel oil for heating and marine transportation.

Global Liquids Demand by Select Country

In 2024, Canada was the ninth largest consumer of crude oil globally, equating to roughly 2.3% of total demand. Collectively, the top nine crude oil-consuming countries accounted for close to 60% of global demand. Since 2010, global demand growth has been predominantly driven by China and India. Canadian demand has remained relatively flat since the early 2000s.

Energy Demand by Province

Canada’s energy demand is concentrated in a few provinces, with Alberta, Ontario, Quebec, and British Columbia accounting for most consumption in 2022. Alberta leads due to energy-intensive industries, while Ontario and Quebec reflect large populations and diversified economies. Demand in Atlantic Canada and the territories remains comparatively low.

Natural Gas

Alberta is Canada’s largest consumer of natural gas, accounting for more than 50% of the country’s total demand, and more than double the second-largest consumer, Ontario. Canada’s natural gas demand is predominantly concentrated in Alberta, Ontario, B.C., Saskatchewan, Québec, and Manitoba. Natural gas demand from the remaining provinces and territories is small due to the sparse population and a lack of infrastructure.

Global Natural Gas Consumption by Select Countries

Despite a relatively low population, Canada is the fifth largest consumer of natural gas in the world, accounting for roughly 5% of global natural gas demand in 2024. Since 2010, natural gas demand in Canada has grown by 29%. The U.S. is the world’s largest consumer of natural gas. The world’s top six natural gas-consuming countries (U.S., Russia, China, Iran, Canada, and Saudi Arabia) accounted for 60% of global natural gas demand in 2024.

Provincial Natural Gas Consumption by Sector

The industrial sector is the largest consumer of natural gas in each province. In 2024, Alberta’s industrial sector demand was roughly 5x greater than Ontario’s, the second-highest industrial-consuming region. A large portion of the industrial demand in Alberta comes from the oil sands, which use natural gas to generate steam to heat underground reservoirs, separate bitumen from sand, upgrade the bitumen, and generate electricity. Compared to the rest of Canada, Alberta also relies heavily on natural gas for electricity generation.