Photo: Wiki.cullin, CC0, via Wikimedia Commons
Fuel-efficient driving in Canada comes down to a few habits from the provincial handbooks: drive at a steady speed, accelerate gently, stay at or below the speed limit, keep your tires properly inflated and switch the engine off instead of idling. Saskatchewan’s SGI handbook says cutting your highway cruising speed from 120 km/h to 100 km/h alone can reduce fuel use by up to 20%.
Eco-driving habits the handbooks recommend
| Habit | What the handbook says |
|---|---|
| Steady speed, smooth acceleration | Aggressive driving with rapid acceleration and hard braking can raise fuel use by about 40% (SGI) or up to 25% (MPI), both citing European tests. |
| Keep to the speed limit | 120 km/h to 100 km/h: up to 20% less fuel (SGI, MPI). NWT: every 10 km/h above 90 km/h burns 10% more fuel. |
| Be a smooth operator | BC: avoid “jackrabbit” starting and stopping and drive at a steady speed. |
| Plan trips | Combine errands. Trips under 5 km never let the engine reach its best operating temperature (SGI, MPI). BC suggests driving to the furthest stop first. |
| Cruise control on the highway | Saves fuel on flat highways (Ontario, SGI). On hills, let speed drop slightly going up (SGI, MPI). Never on slippery or winter roads. |
| Air conditioning | Can raise fuel use by more than 20% in city driving (SGI, MPI). In town, use windows; at highway speeds, use vents, because open windows add drag. |
| Manual transmission | Shift at the engine speeds your owner’s manual recommends; a tachometer helps (SGI, MPI). |
BC’s ICBC handbook sums it up: good safe-driving habits can reduce fuel use by as much as 30%.
Is idling bad for your car and your wallet?
Every handbook says avoid it. The details differ:
- Ontario: turn off your vehicle if parked for more than 10 seconds. Even in cold weather, engines warm up within 30 seconds.
- Saskatchewan and Manitoba: idling for more than 10 seconds, except in traffic, wastes more fuel than stopping and restarting.
- NWT: ten seconds of idling can use more fuel than restarting. Most engines need no more than 30 seconds of idling to circulate oil; the best way to warm up the rest of the car is to drive it.
- British Columbia: turn the motor off if stopped for more than 60 seconds, for example at the side of the road.
Remote starters and block heaters
- Do not start the car too early with a remote starter; long idling wastes fuel (SGI, MPI).
- A block heater on a timer helps in winter and can improve overall fuel economy by up to 10%. SGI says switch it on two hours before you drive; MPI says four hours. Do not leave it on overnight.
Municipal anti-idling bylaws
Many Canadian cities have their own idling limits, enforced with fines. One example: the City of Toronto’s Idling Control By-law limits idling to no more than one minute in a 60-minute period (as of November 2026). Rules, exemptions and fines differ by city, so check your own municipality’s website.
Maintenance that saves fuel
- Tire pressure: check at least monthly when the tires are cold, using the figure on the door, glove box or owner’s manual. SGI: tires under-inflated by a total of 10 psi raise fuel use by 5%. MPI: one tire under-inflated by 56 kPa (8 psi) can raise fuel use by 4% and cut 15,000 km off the tire’s life.
- Air filter: replace it on the schedule in your owner’s manual. The SGI, MPI and NWT handbooks say a clogged filter can raise fuel use by up to 10%, but the US Department of Energy says a fuel saving only applies to older carbureted engines, and puts it at a few percent. On modern fuel-injected and diesel engines, a new filter can help acceleration but does not improve fuel economy (fueleconomy.gov).
- Tune-ups: NWT says a poorly tuned engine can increase fuel use by up to 50%. Ontario lists worn spark plugs, dragging brakes and transmission problems.
- Alignment: check regularly to cut tire wear and fuel use (Ontario).
- Weight and drag: remove heavy items, wet snow, winter sand or salt, and take off roof racks and boxes when not in use (Ontario).
- Fuelling: do not “top off” the tank; spilled fuel releases harmful vapours (Ontario).
For a full pre-drive and periodic check, see our car controls guide.
Driving less
Ontario and BC both suggest the simplest saving: walk, cycle, carpool or take transit for some trips, and avoid rush hour where you can. Ontario adds: pay attention to smog alerts.
Buying a car with fuel economy in mind
The NWT manual says to consider fuel-efficient models first; generally, a smaller engine uses less fuel. Look for the vehicle’s EnerGuide label, which shows its fuel consumption and estimated annual fuel cost. Manitoba’s handbook also says to check fuel efficiency before buying or leasing. For inspection and registration steps, see buying your first car in Canada.
Province by province
- Ontario: MTO handbook, “Driving efficiently”.
- British Columbia: Learn to Drive Smart, chapter 2, “Driving and the environment”.
- Manitoba: MPI handbook, “Fuel Efficient Driving Techniques”.
- Saskatchewan: SGI handbook, “Fuel-efficient driving techniques”.
- NWT: Driver’s Manual, “Ways to improve fuel efficiency”.
- Others: check your provincial handbook.
Winter brings extra fuel and safety considerations: see winter driving in Canada. For the full licensing path, start at learning to drive in Canada.
Sources
- Government of Ontario, “The Official MTO Driver’s Handbook: Driving efficiently” (ontario.ca)
- ICBC, “Learn to Drive Smart” (icbc.com)
- Manitoba Public Insurance, “Manitoba Driver’s Handbook: Fuel Efficient Driving Techniques, Environmental Consequences of Driving” (apps.mpi.mb.ca)
- SGI, “Saskatchewan Driver’s Handbook” (sgi.sk.ca)
- Government of the Northwest Territories, “NWT Driver’s Manual: Basic” (idmv.inf.gov.nt.ca)
- City of Toronto, “Idling and Air Quality” (toronto.ca)
- US Department of Energy and EPA, “Keeping Your Vehicle in Shape” (fueleconomy.gov)