Gas in Shuswap drops below $2 a litre, but prices in Central, South Okanagan higher

Motorists in the Central Okanagan and South Okanagan may be wondering why they’re paying more for gas than their northern neighbours.

On Thursday afternoon, the website GasBuddy was reporting gas prices of $2.059 to $2.099 a litre in Kelowna. One station, Costco, was at $2.019.

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Prices in the South Okanagan were even higher. Penticton prices ranged from $2.089 to $2.129, while Summerland had prices of $2.129 to $2.179.

Oliver had a wide swing, from $2.099 to $2.189, with prices in Osoyoos at $2.099.

Meanwhile, in the North Okanagan, Vernon’s prices were notably lower, ranging from $1.999 to $2.039. And just up the road in the Shuswap, Salmon Arm prices ranged from $1.959 to $1.999.

In the Lower Mainland, many gas stations are just below $2 a litre at $1.999, though two stations in Abbotsford are at $1.929. And that region, unlike the Okanagan, has an extra tax on gas at 18.5 cents per litre to support public transit.

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Last month, a poll by Ipsos said 69 per cent of respondents in Canada said they were concerned they might not be able to afford gas.

“There’s a great deal of concern about the affordability of gas,” Gregory Jack, Ipsos Canada’s vice-president of public affairs, said in an interview with Global News.

“The worry is especially true across the country and especially with people who have kids.”

To view the latest gas prices in your community, visit GasBuddy.