The Cost of Underselling Canadian Oil and Gas to the USA
Forced by a lack of pipeline capacity, Canada sells most of its oil and natural gas to the U.S. at a discount of ~$20 per barrel and ~$2 per Gigajoule. With over 2 million barrels and 12.3 million Gigajoules exported daily, the loss adds up fast.
Estimated Lost Oil Revenue YTD
Estimated Lost Gas Revenue YTD
Every second, we lose more.
Billions in potential revenue are slipping away — money that could be strengthening our healthcare system, building infrastructure, or easing the tax burden on Canadian families.
Combined (O&G) Losses at a Glance
$70,300,000
/ DAY
$2,130,000,000
/ MONTH
$25,600,000,000
/ YEAR
What Could Canada Do With $25.6 Billion a Year?
Without greater pipeline capacity, Canada loses an estimated (2025) $25.6 billion by selling our oil and gas to the U.S. at a steep discount. That money could be used in our communities — funding national defence, hiring nurses, supporting seniors, building schools, and improving infrastructure. Here’s what we’re giving up by underselling these natural resources.
All F35s Recently Purchased
In 2022, Canada agreed to purchase 88 F-35 fighter jets at an estimated total cost of $19 billion. The money lost each year could cover the full cost of this major national defence investment.
Source
14 Major Highways
The Regina Bypass, one of Canada’s largest highway projects, cost $1.88 billion and was co-funded by Saskatchewan and the federal government. Our oil losses could fund over a dozen similar projects.
Source
342,000 Nurses
The average annual salary for a registered nurse in Canada is about $74,958. These funds could address staffing shortages and improve patient care nationwide.
Source
54,237 New Housing Units
At an estimated $472,000 per unit (excluding land costs, based on Toronto averages), $25.6 billion could fund nearly 54,237 affordable housing units.
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1.78 Billion Hours of In-Home Care
With a median wage of $20/hour for Personal Support Workers across major provinces, the country could fund 1.78 billion hours of in-home support — helping seniors and people with disabilities live independently.
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883 New or Renovated Schools
Ontario committed $1.3 billion to fund 30 new schools and 15 expansions—averaging about $28.9 million per project. At that rate, the lost money support over 883 school builds or expansions across Canada.
Source
Why Does This Happen?
Because Ottawa chose it.
Their desire to “keep it in the ground” federal legislation like the No Pipelines Bill (C-69) actively discourages the development of critical infrastructure. Regulatory uncertainty and activist appeasement make building new pipelines that would give Alberta access to world markets nearly impossible.
When Alberta can’t sell to the world, it has to sell cheap to whoever’s left.
The Result?
Canada grows weaker.
We rely on the U.S. to buy our energy—and on their goodwill.
The U.S. grows stronger.
They profit from our artificially discounted resources.
Canadian interests are placed second.
By policy. By design.