Gas Prices: It’s Been Awhile
December 27, 2006 · By Shane Edwards
We haven’t heard any major news stories on gas prices lately. They haven’t been rising or falling precipituously and we are all getting used to prices in the buck a liter range.
However, it is always something I pay attention to. It is the most visible weekly expenditure for me, and it is displayed on almost every street corner.
For something so visible, I would expect to hear from the blogosphere on it more often. Here is my update for those of you interested.
In the GVRD (Greater Vancouver Regional District) we have about 6-7 cents a liter markup on our gas from various transit taxes - the socialists’ efforts to bleed us into taking the Skytrain - that amazing feat of engineering that seems to only run where they themselves admit they don’t want it to run. If it actually went where I needed it to go, I might actually take it. In order for me to take advantage of it I would have to do what the GVRD doesn’t want me to do - take a job in downtown Vancouver… but enough about that.
Anyways, I expect to pay 6-7 cents more than everyone else in the province pays. If I want cheap gas, I’ll find an excuse to go visit friends in Abbotsford or Chilliwack. So when we left for our Christmas trip to Alberta, I deliberately ran my tank to almost empty so I could gas up in Abby. Surrey was 110 cents a liter, Abby was around 102 when I filled up. Good. That is reasonable.
Now, when you get up into the hinterlands away from the Fraser Valley, things usually get more expensive. The more remote you get, the more expensive. It usually reaches a peak in the National Parks, Jasper and Banff, then drops off dramatically as you leave the resort areas. It most often bottoms out in Edson, where the market is driven down by competition from commercial traffic.
That didn’t happen.
Kamloops: 95 cents.
Valemount (aka the back end of NOWHERE): 92
Jasper: 92
Edson: 88
Edmonton: 82(!!! Some places reporting as low as 79!)
Mark that: a 15 cent difference from Greater Vancouver to Hicksville BC where it probably costs a fortune to get gas trucked in.
Now, I’ll give you that Alberta probably has a different gas tax model. They certainly don’t have to deal with transit incentives, and no PST helps. But 30 CENTS DIFFERENT? 33% CHEAPER?
I think I have made the case: Vancouverites are being gouged. No question.
One last number in case any of you Vancouverites think this is some freaky aberration. Central Toronto is only paying 89.
‘Nuff Said.
.89 in Winnipeg (was just .86 last week)
Calgary today: depends where in the city. 86.4 - 89.9. I just drove down from Ft St John on the 24th December and paid Dawson Creek 103, Beaverlodge 89.9, GP 90.4, Wabamun 84.7, Gasoline Alley Red Deer 89.9. Last June we paid 95.9 in Calgary, but only 87.9 in Toronto. Probably subsidized by all westerners’ prices. they should pay through the nose!
Victoria is 106.6 - so like what is your problem?
How exactly does this have anything to do with corruption and scandal?
Teddi: Victoria is always more expensive - it is on the Island, it is a tourist trap. Tourist towns are always more expensive. Major cities are generally more competitive, keeping prices low. That doesn’t seem to be happening.
Anon: Do you not think something is amiss with either regulatory bodies or with station operations/corporations if prices of a given commodity are being kept artificially high?
All the prices mentioned above are pretty low when you consider that oil is a non-renewable resource - and how much we pay for items such as bottled water.
Not that I am lobbying to pay more at the pump, but aren’t all these prices low when you consider that oil is a non-renewable resource? Hell - look at what we pay for bottled water.
Just because Canadians are stupid and pay for bottled water doesn’t mean that there is any comparison. The fact is the water from your tap in most areas of Canada is better than the bottled water you’ll buy from Coca Cola (Dasani) or Pepsi (Aquafina).
But back to gas, my point was not whether or not gas is the price it should be, it is that certain areas of the country are getting gouged in comparison to, I would contend, the rest of the country.
http://www.competitionbureau.g.....6&lg=e