Gas prices jump 11 cents in Greater Victoria, more price hikes expected
If you are planning on hopping in your car and travelling this summer, it’s going to cost you a lot more than it would have on Monday. The price at the pump has jumped by 11 cents a litre in Greater Victoria.
Chris Pahl was filling up his new SUV at a local gas station on Tuesday.
“When I filled this last time, it was under $70," said Pahl. "It’s $85.50 today."
In Greater Victoria, drivers are now paying $1.62 a litre.
“It’s gouging,” said Fred Kirke, who was filling up on Tuesday.
“It’s definitely a bummer,” said Kelly Beattie, who was in a similar position.
“Why are we paying $1.62 a litre?” said island resident Brian MacDonald. “It’s crazy.”
Dan McTeague is the president of Canadians for Affordable Energy, and he says he can explain the reason for the huge increase.
“We’re seeing a response to a shutoff of a FCC -- fluid cat cracker is the technical term -- at the refinery at Phillips 66 in Ferndale (Wash.),” said McTeague.
According to McTeague, that shutdown in Washington state has created a supply crunch in the Pacific Northwest. All the while, demand for fuel south of the border is ramping up.
“It may seem like we are not out of our lockdowns yet, but they are in the United States and their economy is revving up, as is demand,” said McTeague.
If an 11-cent jump hasn’t gotten you down, maybe this will. In April of last year, the price of gas on Vancouver Island was 84 cents a litre. That was when we were heading into the thick of our COVID-19 restrictions.
Kris Sims is the B.C. director of the Canadian Taxpayers Federation, and she has done some math. She says 162.9 cents a litre can’t be blamed completely on the refinery’s shutdown.
“Sixty-one cents of that is taxes,” said Sims.
We pay a provincial excise tax, a federal excise tax, and in Victoria we pay a transit tax and sales tax.
“And of course here in British Columbia we have two carbon taxes,” said Sims.
Eye-popping gas prices in B.C. are not a new issue.
“Clearly there is something wrong with the gas market here in British Columbia,” said Premier John Horgan in November 2020.
In 2019, the province completed an inquiry into gas prices in the province. The reports findings questioned the competitiveness of the gas market and also determined that B.C. drivers likely overpaid nearly half a billion dollars for fuel. The review was told not to look at provincial taxes.
CTV News reached out to the Ministry of Energy, Mines and Low Carbon Innovation but did not get a response by deadline on Tuesday.
Looking into the future, brace yourselves. Analysts predict another three-cent jump by Thursday, and gas could reach 170 cents a litre by the end of summer.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
American millionaire Jonathan Lehrer denied bail after being charged with killing Canadian couple
American millionaire Jonathan Lehrer, one of two men charged in the killings of a Canadian couple in Dominica, has been denied bail.
LeBlanc says he plans to run in next election, under Trudeau's leadership
Cabinet minister Dominic LeBlanc says he plans to run in the next election as a candidate under Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's leadership, amid questions about his rumoured interest in succeeding his longtime friend for the top job.
Grandparent scam suspects had ties to Italian organized crime, Ontario police allege
A group of suspects that allegedly defrauded seniors across Ontario and other parts of Canada using a so-called emergency grandparent scam appear to have ties to 'Italian traditional organized crime,' according to an investigator involved in the OPP-led probe.
Sports columnist apologizes for ‘oafish’ comments directed at Caitlin Clark. The controversy isn’t over
A male columnist has apologized for a cringeworthy moment during former University of Iowa superstar and college basketball’s highest scorer Caitlin Clark’s first news conference as an Indiana Fever player.
Trend Line Anger, pessimism towards federal government reach six-year high: Nanos survey
Most Canadians in March reported feeling angry or pessimistic towards the federal government than at any point in the last six years, according to a survey by Nanos Research.
BREAKING B.C.'s short-term rental regulations include $10K daily penalties for Airbnb, other platforms
Short-term rental platforms that violate B.C.'s pending regulations can face administrative penalties of up to $10,000 per day, officials announced Thursday.
Taylor Swift's new album allegedly 'leaked' on social media and it's causing a frenzy
A Google Drive link allegedly containing 17 tracks that are purportedly from Swift's eagerly awaited "The Tortured Poets Department" album has been making the rounds on the internet in the past day and people are equal parts mad, sad and happy about it.
Motion to allow keffiyehs at Ontario legislature fails
A motion to reverse a ban on the keffiyeh within Queen’s Park failed to receive unanimous consent Thursday just moments after Ontario Premier Doug Ford reiterated his view that prohibiting the garment in the House is divisive.
'Shopaholic' author Sophie Kinsella reveals brain cancer diagnosis
Sophie Kinsella, the best-selling author behind the 'Shopaholic' book series, has revealed that she is receiving treatment for brain cancer.