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
Multiple bridges in Calgary shut down for police incident
Calgary police have shut down a number of bridges into and out of the downtown core as officers deal with a distraught individual.
Sunshine list: These were the Ontario public sector's highest earners in 2023
Ontario released its annual sunshine list Thursday afternoon, noting that the largest year-over-year increases were in hospitals, municipalities, and post-secondary sectors.
Why some Christians are angry about Trump's 'God Bless the USA' Bible
Former U.S. President Donald Trump is officially selling a copy of the Bible themed to Lee Greenwood’s famous song, 'God Bless the USA.' But the concept of a Bible covered in the American flag has raised concern among religious circles.
Humboldt Broncos bus crash survivor qualifies Canada for Paralympics in rowing event
Former Humboldt Broncos goaltender and bus crash survivor Jacob Wassermann has qualified Canada for a rowing event for the 2024 Paralympic games in Paris.
Baby boom amongst nurses leads to maternity ward closure in Listowel, Ont.
The emergency room at Listowel’s hospital is open today, but come summer, their obstetrics unit will be temporarily closing its delivery rooms.
George Washington family secrets revealed by DNA from unmarked 19th century graves
Genetic analysis has shed light on a long-standing mystery surrounding the fates of U.S. President George Washington's younger brother Samuel and his kin.
Krispy Kreme doughnuts coming to McDonald's in U.S., but not Canada
Canadians will be missing out on a sweet new partnership between McDonald's and Krispy Kreme, which will see doughnuts available at McDonald's locations across the U.S. by the end of 2026.
'We won't forget': How some Muslims view Poilievre's stance on Israel-Hamas war
A spokesman for a regional Muslim advocacy group says Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre's stance on the Israel-Hamas war could complicate his party's relationship with Muslim Canadians.
Quebec judge orders bus driver to stand trial for 2023 daycare crash deaths
A judge has ordered a Quebec man to stand trial on charges of first-degree murder in the deaths of two children killed when a bus rammed into a Montreal-area daycare last year.