It may seem like some sort of sick April Fool’s Day joke for Metro Vancouver drivers, but gas prices have tied the record of $1.55.9 cents per litre in less than two weeks.
Sunday marks the first day of B.C.’s carbon tax being pushed to $35 per tonne, which equals about 1.2 cents on top of what drivers had been paying before April 1.
GasBuddy.com has predicted the price at the pump will push even higher with the summer months coming, and a federally-mandated swap to summer gas in mid-April.
LISTEN: GasBuddy.com’s Dan McTeague joins Jill Bennett to talk Metro Vancouver gas prices
“Generally, we haven’t hit that transition from winter to summer gasoline and we certainly haven’t gone into the heavy summer demand driving season, which will likely add another four or five cents per litre,” said Senior Petroleum Analyst Dan McTeague of GasBuddy.com. “So the $1.60 that I have been referring to for some time will be easily attained and surpassed.”
Speaking on The Jill Bennett Show, he added drivers should keep an eye on the prices because not all stations have pushed to $1.55 yet.
“Some may actually hold off until tomorrow, but the $1.55.9 that you’re seeing here or will be seeing here in Metro Vancouver ties the highest prices we’ve paid.”
Sunday’s carbon tax increase is the first of four annual bumps set to come from the NDP government.
Premier John Horgan commented on the cost of filling up a tank and thinks most British Columbians can handle the recent spike in the cost of fuel, noting the pros outweigh the cons.
“I believe the challenge we’re seeing with high gas prices right now again goes back as it is with housing to supply and demand,” John Horgan said at a press conference on Thursday. “As we see refining capacity diminished, that means an increase in demand and a reduction in supply. We need to address that key question first and foremost.”
“I don’t believe that British Columbians begrudge that penny a litre when they know it’s going towards making sure that future generations have an environment that’s sustainable and a world that we can all live in.”
He adds that B.C. has one of the strongest economies in the country and doesn’t think the carbon tax will change that.
Meanwhile, the BC Liberals have crunched the numbers and say the price to fill up a compact car will go up an extra $7.23 for a compact car while diesel semi-tractor’s will pay an extra $51 in carbon taxes if the NDP remains in power for four years.
“Costs will go up throughout British Columbia because of it,” said Richmond-Queensborough MLA Jas Johal.
“That means that goods and services like groceries, the cost of fruits and vegetables to iPads will go up simply because the shipping costs are going to go up as well. It’s a huge concern in regards to jobs, investment and for our economy as well.”
Johal noted it could be cheaper to set up a business across the border in Washington state and do business in B.C. because it doesn’t have a carbon tax.
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