If fuel costs are a concern, be sure to understand the regular vs diesel pricing in the area the truck will live and work.
Today, Gas buddy shows that in your location (Ft McMurray) they are priced pretty much the same.
(Here, recently, many locations have been 5 or 6% cheaper for diesel. Typically, over the last few years, diesel has been 5 to 15% more than regular gas )
Much different than in some areas, where diesel cost is (in some cases significantly) more than regular.
I keep reading about 'significantly' higher diesel maintenance costs -- but that hasn't been my experience.
Compared to to fuel and finance costs on a new truck, maintenance costs aren't even on the radar.
Everyone I know suggests that a 1500 with a 5.3 or 6.2 will get significantly better mileage than a 6.0, when doing similar daily driver duties.
After running dmaxes for 10 years (LLY, LMM and LML) requirements changed and I tried running 1500's. Doing the same duties, I found that doing the same (mostly daily driver) work, the 1500's gave me about 10% better (20 usmpg, instead of 17.5 usmpg). I'm back in a 2500 diesel, not because of fuel but because I prefer the way they drive. I think the diesel gave better mileage towing, but don't have enough direct (same trailer, same load, same trip) comparisons to quote numbers.
Unless the 6.6 gas is significantly better on fuel than the 6.0, I'm not buying the arguments that the gas and diesel 6.6's will give the same mileage.
Is the 6.6 gas the right engine for lots of applications/lots of owners -- absolutely.