Tara McAndrew, a 38-year-old travel blogger from Kitchener, Ont., has long dreamed of driving the Pan-American Highway from Alaska to Argentina, then exploring Ireland and Europe in her camper van. But high gas prices and repair costs for her 2014 Dodge Ram Promaster, nicknamed “Betty White,” have forced her to stay close to home this summer. “As a solo traveller, it’s quite difficult to afford travelling this summer,” she said. “I have been keeping it pretty close to home, just to help with costs.”
Gas Price Surge Linked to Iran Crisis
In March, Iran closed the Strait of Hormuz in response to U.S. strikes, a waterway through which 20 per cent of the world’s oil passes. Oil prices hit a three-year high, and Canadian gas prices spiked nearly 30 per cent above spring 2025 levels, according to reports.
This surge has reshaped summer travel plans. A Probe Research survey for the Tire and Rubber Association of Canada (TRAC) in May found that two-thirds of Canadian drivers said high gas prices would prompt them to cancel or limit road trips this summer.
Rental Market Stalls
Michael McNaught, CEO of Ottawa-based RV rental platform RVezy Inc., said the business saw a surge in early 2026 bookings, then stalled after March. “You can almost see the date where things stalled,” he said. “It’s almost as if people had their credit cards in their hand, and then all of a sudden when … oil prices shot up, everybody pressed the pause button.”
McNaught noted that Canadians still want to travel but are choosing closer destinations, like local music festivals, campgrounds, and provincial parks just a few hours away. “During (these) strange economic periods, people still vacation — they just vacation differently,” he said. “It’s almost like a reimagining of the road trip.”
Outlook for Summer Gas Prices
Although global crude prices dropped last week, analysts warn that Canadians should expect relatively high pump prices this summer. Dan McTeague, president of Canadians for Affordable Energy (CAE), said the national average will likely hover around $1.55 per litre, compared to $1.30 to $1.35 last summer. “The reckoning is going to be measured in months and years, not in days and weeks,” he said.
