A small jump in gas prices was seen Thursday morning — an increase of about two cents overnight.
It adds to the increases seen over the past week, where prices began at $1.88 a litre.
Thursday morning, most prices around the Lower Mainland are hovering around $1.95.
“What’s driven prices up from $1.88 last week to $1.96, which we’re going to pay tomorrow, I’d say about two-thirds of that is apparent shortness, or a crunch, in the supply, (which is) not made any better by (Burnaby Refinery’s) ongoing disruption,” gas expert Dan McTeague said, with Canadians for Affordable Energy.
But, according to McTeague, that is a small increase compared with what’s to come in late spring and early summer.
“As we look at summertime demand, that tends to be a premium of 15 cents a litre.… The new normal this summer, or at least late spring, could begin at a $2.20 or $2.30 a litre range and for that reason, I think motorists need to be best prepared for this very unpleasant reality,” McTeague said.
Gas prices will also increase again next month due to the carbon tax.
“Hold on folks, on April 1 it’s going to get even worse (because) B.C. Premier David Eby is hiking the first provincial carbon tax which will bring that total tax burden from 78 cents per litre, where we are sitting at right now, to 81 cents,” Carson Binda said, the B.C. director for the Canadian Taxpayers Federation.
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