Consumer got another shock at the pumps on Friday, as four provinces, including Saskatchewan, were hit with a 25 per cent increase in the federal carbon tax. The tax now accounts for just over 11 cents on every litre of gas people buy.
“I’m not happy,” said Ebson Payas.
“It’s pretty bad because I drive an SUV so I have to get gas like every week,” said L.J Pamonag.
The price at some stations were $1.71 a litre, but the average for the province is around $1.68. However, the price is volatile, a reflection of the turmoil in world markets.
A national consumer group says the rising cost of fuel is driving up the cost of almost everything, including groceries. Inflation is at a 30 year high. They say policies discouraging investment in oil and gas are partly to blame.
“Reality is about to pinch every Canadian, with them woke politicians who ignore the pain that is being inflicted on Canadians and unnecessarily so. We’re a nation blessed with abundance of energy and we are responsible. We need to get to the rest of the market, not just for our own sake, but for the sake of global security,” said Dan McTeague, Canadians for Affordable Energy president.
However, the war in Ukraine and supply problems caused by the pandemic are also pushing prices up. McTeague says the oil and gas industry has been Canada’s golden goose for years and there is no other single industry capable of taking its place in the economy.
“I’ve never seen a scenario where you have $100 oil and the Canadian dollar isn’t actually protecting Canadians. What does that mean? Well it’s inflating the price of every commodity we consume in this country, whether it’s made here or not, including gasoline,” McTeague said.
Some consumers are trying to be philosophical.
“It sucks, but it is what it is,” said Samantha Peepeetch.
McTeague says what this all means is that prices are not likely to change anytime soon.
“It is now the springtime season. Demand continues to rise. No one’s got spare oil to give,” McTeague said.
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