Drivers around the B.C. South Coast are feeling their wallets get lighter as gas prices have surged to the highest prices seen so far this year.
Gas at a Port Coquitlam station was seen priced at $2.13 Sunday morning.
Gas analyst Dan McTeague attributes the hike to a fire at the Garyville oil refinery in Louisiana, along with dwindling oil supply and a falling Canadian dollar.
He told Global News prices are expected to continue to rise throughout the week.
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“The Canadian dollar continues to weaken … all of these (factors) are likely to point to another seven or eight cent hike, perhaps as early as this week before things begin to settle down,” McTeague said.
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Drivers expressed their frustrations Sunday morning.
“I don’t know what’s going to stop this. This is crazy,” Patricia Fernandez said.
“It’s ridiculous. Either I put (money) on gas or groceries or rent.”
McTeague added the “new normal” for Lower Mainland gas prices is “two dollars plus,” and expects prices to increase into the Labour Day long weekend.
According to a GasBuddy map, most prices around Metro Vancouver are hovering around $2.06.
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