Relief for motorists at the pumps as gas prices drop 11 cents a litre

Motorists fill up at a gas station in Ottawa on Wednesday, April 8. (Katie Griffin/CTV News Ottawa)

Ottawa motorists will find some relief at the gas pumps today, as gas prices drop below $1.70 a litre for the first time since late March.

Prices dropped 11 cents a litre for regular gasoline on Monday as the federal government suspends the fuel exercise tax for the summer.

Prime Minister Mark Carney announced last week the pause on fuel taxes between April 20 and Labour Day.

According to Canadians for Affordable Energy President Dan McTeague, gas prices dropped to an average of 164.9 cents a litre in Ottawa today.

The drop follows an eight cent a litre decline in gas prices on Sunday.

McTeague says while drivers are getting some relief at the pumps today, prices are expected to rise soon as the war in the Middle East continues.

“It looks like markets go back to reality,” McTeague told CTV news Toronto.

“Will we go back to where we were on Wednesday, April 8 where we were paying $1.88, $1,89? I don’t think so, not yet. But the longer this goes on, the greater the likelihood that we are going to see prices moving back into the $1.75.”

McTeague says prices could return to $1.80 by the end of the week.

Gas prices increased 9 cents a litre on Saturday as refineries switched to summer-blend gasoline and in response to energy markets, according to McTeague.

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