Ultramar
A Canadian fuel-retailing and home-energy brand serving Eastern Canada.
Last updated September 23, 2026
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Overview
Ultramar is a Canadian petroleum retail and home-energy brand concentrated in Eastern Canada. Its operations include branded service stations, convenience retail, commercial fuel distribution, and home-fuel delivery, particularly in Ontario, Quebec, and Atlantic Canada. The brand is headquartered in Montreal and is currently associated with Parkland Corporation, which acquired most of the Canadian assets and Canadian brand rights formerly held through CST Brands. Ultramar is therefore best understood as an operating consumer brand within a larger fuel-distribution group rather than as an independent publicly traded company. The brand entered Canada in 1961 when the British oil company Ultramar plc established Canadian operations. Its early retail network used the Golden Eagle name, while the company built a broader downstream presence that included refining and fuel marketing. A refinery at Lévis, Quebec, was constructed in 1971 and became a major part of the company's Quebec industrial and retail supply system. Over the following decades, Ultramar expanded through acquisitions and integration of fuel-marketing assets. Between 1979 and 1996, it acquired stations and related operations associated with Texaco Canada, Gulf Canada, Sergaz, Sunoco, and Spur. These transactions helped establish the brand across Quebec, Ontario, and the Atlantic provinces. Ultramar's corporate structure changed repeatedly. In 1991, Lasmo acquired Ultramar plc. The North American refining and marketing operations were subsequently separated in 1992 and operated as Ultramar Corporation. In 1996, Ultramar Corporation merged with Diamond Shamrock, creating Ultramar Diamond Shamrock. Valero Energy Corporation completed its acquisition of Ultramar Diamond Shamrock on December 31, 2001. During the Valero period, the Lévis refinery was renamed in 2001 in honour of Jean Gaulin, a former chief executive of Ultramar Diamond Shamrock. In 2013, Valero spun off Ultramar into CST Brands. CST was later acquired by Alimentation Couche-Tard in 2016. The transaction did not result in a single permanent owner for all Canadian Ultramar operations: Parkland acquired most of CST's Canadian assets, including Canadian rights to the Ultramar brand, while Couche-Tard retained a limited group of Ultramar stations in Atlantic Canada. In 2018, Couche-Tard and Irving Oil announced plans to convert those retained stations to the Circle K brand, with Irving supplying fuel; some locations were to be sold outright to Irving. This reduced the remaining independent Ultramar presence associated with Couche-Tard and left Parkland as the principal Canadian brand operator. Ultramar's customer proposition combines motor fuel with convenience retail and residential heating services. Its home-fuel business delivers heating oil and related energy products to residential customers, while its wholesale and industrial activities serve commercial buyers. The brand has historically been particularly important in markets where home heating oil remains an established energy source. In October 2019, Ultramar became part of Parkland's national Journie loyalty program, linking its stations and convenience offer to a broader customer-rewards platform. The brand continues to operate primarily in Eastern Canada, with its identity tied to fuel access, convenience services, and home-energy delivery.
History
Ultramar began Canadian operations in 1961 under the ownership of British oil company Ultramar plc. Its first Canadian retail stations were branded Golden Eagle. The company expanded beyond forecourt retail by developing refining, fuel-marketing, and home-energy activities. A refinery at Lévis, Quebec, was completed in 1971 and became a central asset in the company's Eastern Canadian supply network. From 1979 through 1996, Ultramar pursued growth through acquisitions of fuel stations and related marketing operations. Its purchases included assets associated with Texaco Canada, Gulf Canada, Sergaz, Sunoco, and Spur. In 1981, the company acquired the Beacon Oil Company of Hanford, California, retaining the Beacon name. In 1990, it acquired the Dartmouth, Nova Scotia, refinery as part of a wider purchase of Texaco Canada's assets. In 1994, Ultramar acquired Sergaz and Sunoco's Quebec stations. Although some locations continued to use the Sergaz name for a time, most were eventually closed or converted. Ultramar's ownership and corporate identity evolved during the 1990s. Lasmo acquired Ultramar plc in 1991, and the North American refining and marketing operations were separated in 1992 as Ultramar Corporation. In 1996, Ultramar Corporation merged with Diamond Shamrock to form Ultramar Diamond Shamrock. The Sunoco name was withdrawn from Quebec in 1997, with stations converted to Ultramar or closed. The Lévis refinery was renamed in 2001 to honour Jean Gaulin, a former chief executive of Ultramar Diamond Shamrock. Valero Energy Corporation completed its acquisition of Ultramar Diamond Shamrock on December 31, 2001. Valero later separated the Ultramar retail and related activities through the 2013 spin-off that created CST Brands. In 2016, Alimentation Couche-Tard acquired CST Brands, while Parkland acquired most of CST's Canadian assets and the Canadian rights to the Ultramar brand. Couche-Tard retained 36 Ultramar stations in Atlantic Canada, but in 2018 announced plans with Irving Oil to convert those stations to Circle K, supply them through Irving, or sell selected locations to Irving. This left Parkland as the principal holder of Ultramar's Canadian brand operations. Ultramar's present business is focused on Eastern Canada. The network supplies gasoline and diesel through service stations, provides convenience-store goods and forecourt services, and delivers home heating oil. The business has also operated in industrial sales and wholesale fuel supply. Historical company figures cited in reference material included 983 service stations, 87 truck-stop facilities, approximately 169,000 home-heating-oil customers, 3,600 direct employees, and 10,000 indirect workers; these figures are historical and are not treated here as current operating statistics. In 2019, Ultramar joined Parkland's Journie loyalty program, integrating the brand into Parkland's national customer-rewards strategy.
- 2019
Journie loyalty integration
[1]Ultramar joined Parkland's national Journie loyalty program.
- 2018
Atlantic stations begin transition away from Ultramar
[1]Couche-Tard and Irving Oil announced plans involving conversion of retained Atlantic Canadian Ultramar stations to Circle K and the sale of selected sites to Irving.
- 2016
Parkland obtains Canadian Ultramar rights
[1]Parkland acquired most of CST's Canadian assets, including Canadian rights to the Ultramar brand.
- 2013
Spin-off into CST Brands
[1]Ultramar was spun off from Valero into CST Brands.
- 2001
Valero acquisition completed
[1]Valero Energy Corporation completed its acquisition of Ultramar Diamond Shamrock on December 31, 2001.
- 1997
Sunoco name withdrawn from Quebec
[1]Sunoco-branded Quebec stations were converted to Ultramar or closed.
- 1996
Ultramar Diamond Shamrock formed
[1]Ultramar Corporation merged with Diamond Shamrock to create Ultramar Diamond Shamrock.
- 1994
Sergaz and Sunoco Quebec assets acquired
[1]Ultramar acquired Sergaz and Sunoco's Quebec service stations, expanding its branded retail network.
- 1992
North American operations separated
[1]Lasmo spun off the North American refining and marketing operations, which became known as Ultramar Corporation.
- 1991
Lasmo acquires Ultramar plc
[1]British oil company Lasmo acquired Ultramar plc, changing the ownership structure of the Canadian business.
Products and positioning
A regional Eastern Canadian fuel and convenience brand with an additional focus on residential heating-energy delivery.
Motor fuel
Gasoline
Ultramar service stations sell gasoline for passenger vehicles through the brand's Eastern Canadian forecourt network. Gasoline retail is one of the brand's core consumer activities and is generally combined with convenience-store shopping and other station services.
Motor and commercial fuel
Diesel fuel
Diesel is supplied to motorists, commercial operators, and selected truck-stop customers through Ultramar-branded facilities. The product supports both everyday road transport and the brand's broader commercial and wholesale fuel activities.
Residential energy
Home heating oil
Ultramar delivers home heating oil to residential customers in parts of Eastern Canada. This service extends the brand beyond vehicle refuelling and gives it a role in household energy supply, particularly in markets where oil-fired heating remains established.
Convenience-store retail
Convenience retail
Ultramar stations commonly include convenience retail selling drinks, snacks, packaged foods, tobacco and other travel-oriented merchandise, although the exact assortment varies by location. The stores complement fuel sales and form an important part of the brand's customer proposition.
Fuel distribution
Commercial and wholesale fuel
The business has historically supplied fuel to industrial, commercial, and wholesale customers in addition to serving retail motorists. These activities connect the consumer-facing Ultramar network with wider downstream distribution and energy-marketing operations.
Marketing campaigns
- 2019Journie loyalty integration
Canada
Ultramar became part of Parkland's Journie loyalty program, aligning its customer-rewards activity with Parkland's national network.
Outcome. The brand was integrated into Parkland's broader loyalty ecosystem.
Brand decisions
2018
Atlantic station rebranding and salesStrategyBackground
Couche-Tard retained 36 Ultramar stations in Atlantic Canada after the CST transaction.
Action taken
Couche-Tard and Irving Oil announced that the stations would become Circle K locations, with some sites to be sold to Irving.
Aftermath
The announcement further reduced the number of Atlantic stations operating under the Ultramar name outside Parkland's principal network.
2016
Transfer of Canadian Ultramar assets and rights to ParklandM&ABackground
Alimentation Couche-Tard acquired CST Brands, creating a subsequent restructuring of CST's Canadian operations.
Action taken
Parkland acquired most of CST's Canadian assets, including the Canadian rights to the Ultramar brand.
Aftermath
Parkland became the principal Canadian operator associated with Ultramar, while Couche-Tard retained a smaller Atlantic Canadian group temporarily.
2013
Spin-off into CST BrandsStrategyBackground
Valero reorganized its retail and related operations after owning Ultramar Diamond Shamrock.
Action taken
Ultramar was spun off from Valero into CST Brands.
Aftermath
The brand later became subject to CST's sale and the division of Canadian assets between Couche-Tard and Parkland.
2001
Valero acquisition of Ultramar Diamond ShamrockM&ABackground
Ultramar Diamond Shamrock operated refining and fuel-marketing assets in North America, including the Canadian Ultramar business.
Action taken
Valero Energy Corporation completed the acquisition on December 31, 2001.
Aftermath
Ultramar became part of Valero's downstream portfolio until the later CST Brands spin-off.
Sources2 sources
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