
Quebec has the cheapest cigarettes in Canada. A pack of 20 runs about $14 to $17 and a carton $120 to $155 — noticeably less than Ontario, and far less than British Columbia or the territories.
The reason isn’t the tobacco tax. It’s the sales tax.
How much is a pack of cigarettes in Quebec?
| Format | Typical Quebec retail price |
|---|---|
| Pack of 20 | $14 – $17 |
| Pack of 25 | $17 – $21 |
| Carton of 200 (value brand) | $120 – $140 |
| Carton of 200 (premium brand) | $135 – $155 |
Prices vary by retailer. The tax figures below are exact.
The tax breakdown on a Quebec carton
Federal excise duty
The Canada Revenue Agency charges $0.97299 per five cigarettes — about 19.46 cents each, or $38.92 per carton of 200. Identical in every province, adjusted each 1 April against inflation.
Quebec tobacco tax
Quebec charges 20.9 cents per cigarette.
| Format | Quebec tobacco tax |
|---|---|
| Pack of 20 | $4.18 |
| Carton of 200 | $41.80 |
That rate took effect 6 January 2025 and hasn’t changed since.
And here’s the difference — QST
Tobacco is zero-rated for Quebec sales tax. Quebec smokers pay the 5% federal GST and no QST at all.
Compare that to Ontario, where 13% HST applies to the full taxed price. On a carton with a $130 pre-tax price, that’s roughly $16.90 in Ontario against $6.50 in Quebec — a $10 gap before anything else is counted.
What it comes to
| Component | Per carton of 200 |
|---|---|
| Federal excise duty | $38.92 |
| Quebec tobacco tax | $41.80 |
| Tobacco tax subtotal | $80.72 |
| GST (5%) | Applied on top |
| QST | None — tobacco is zero-rated |
Quebec versus the rest of Canada
| Jurisdiction | Tobacco tax per carton |
|---|---|
| Ontario | $36.95 |
| Quebec | $41.80 |
| New Brunswick | $51.04 |
| Alberta | $60.00 |
| British Columbia | $65.00 |
| Nunavut | $80.00 |
Ontario has the lowest tobacco tax in Canada. Quebec has the second-lowest — but the cheapest cigarettes, because Ontario adds 13% HST where Quebec adds only 5% GST.
Full breakdown for every province and territory in our guide to cigarette prices in Canada.
Quebec’s tax has risen three times in two years
After nearly a decade without an increase:
| Date | Per carton |
|---|---|
| Before February 2023 | $29.80 |
| February 2023 | $37.80 |
| 13 March 2024 | $39.80 |
| 6 January 2025 | $41.80 |
That’s $12 added in under two years, and provincial rates typically move with the budget.
Native cigarettes in Quebec
Native cigarettes are manufactured at licensed First Nations facilities and sold by Indigenous retailers under Indigenous tobacco rights. They aren’t subject to the same provincial tobacco tax structure.
That, plus a supply chain with no national distributor and no retail markup, is the whole difference.
| Carton of 200 | |
|---|---|
| Premium retail brand in Quebec | $135 – $155 |
| Value retail brand in Quebec | $120 – $140 |
| Native carton from MohawkSmoke | $42.00 |
| Native rollies, bag of 200 | $27.00 |
| At 40+ carton volume pricing | $31.50 |
A $42 carton costs less than the $80.72 of tobacco tax on a retail carton in Quebec.
See our guide to the cheapest cigarettes in Canada for the full comparison by format.
What we ship to Quebec
Fifteen native brands, most at $42 a carton — 200 king size, ten packs of twenty.
| Brand | Strength | Carton |
|---|---|---|
| Canadian Lights | Light | $42.00 |
| Canadian Classics Original | Full flavour | $42.00 |
| BB | Full flavour, lights, menthol | $42.00 |
| Playfare’s | Full flavour to ultra light | $42.00 |
| Putter’s Light | The mildest | $42.00 |
| Rolled Gold | The strongest | $42.00 |
Our guide to native cigarette brands compares all of them by strength. We also carry menthol from seven brands, and premium cigars.
Delivery to Quebec
One to three days to most Quebec addresses, shipped discreetly with tracking — Montreal, Quebec City, Laval, Gatineau, Longueuil, Sherbrooke, Saguenay, Trois-Rivières, and rural routes across the province.
Free shipping over $300, $25 flat rate below. Interac e-Transfer, credit card and cryptocurrency accepted, with 10% off crypto orders.
You must be 18 or older to buy tobacco in Quebec — lower than the 19 that applies in most of Canada.
Frequently asked questions
How much is a pack of cigarettes in Quebec in 2026?
Between roughly $14 and $17 for a pack of 20 — the cheapest in Canada.
How much tax is on a carton of cigarettes in Quebec?
$41.80 in Quebec tobacco tax plus $38.92 in federal excise duty — $80.72 per carton of 200 before GST.
Why are cigarettes cheaper in Quebec than Ontario?
Sales tax. Ontario’s tobacco tax is actually lower — $36.95 against Quebec’s $41.80 — but Ontario adds 13% HST to the full taxed price while Quebec zero-rates tobacco for QST, so Quebec smokers pay only 5% GST.
Does Quebec charge QST on cigarettes?
No. Tobacco products are zero-rated for Quebec sales tax. Only the 5% federal GST applies.
What’s the legal smoking age in Quebec?
18. Most of Canada is 19; Alberta, Manitoba and Quebec are 18.
When did Quebec last raise tobacco tax?
6 January 2025, from $39.80 to $41.80 per carton. That followed increases in February 2023 and March 2024 — three rises in two years after almost a decade without one.
How many cigarettes are in a carton?
200 — ten packs of twenty.
Sources: Quebec tobacco tax from Revenu Québec (TA-1-V rate table). Federal excise duty from Canada Revenue Agency notice EDN105, effective 1 April 2026. Retail price ranges are market estimates.
Health warning: Smoking is addictive and harmful to health. These products contain nicotine and are for adult smokers of legal smoking age only — 18+ in Quebec.