Gas prices in Prince George finally cracked the two-dollar-a-litre mark.
The Petro Canada at 5th and Carney as well as Superstore are at 203.9 cents per litre while the majority of other stations remain at 189.9.
Canadians for Affordable Energy President, Dan McTeague told MyPGNow.com the rise in prices is a direct correlation to Ottawa’s attack on the oil and gas industry.
“Let’s not forget the basis of all this, is not due to a global event, it’s not Russia – it’s Canada’s refusal to get oil that it has in abundance to international markets. If we hadn’t been so overzealous in killing two pipelines in Energy East and the Northern Gateway, we could easily displace Russia’s blackmail over the world.”
“Now, it’s not lost on folks like myself who know that such a move discourages capital from coming into Canada and as a result, the Canadian dollar is suffering – one hundred and thirty pennies to buy a US dollar and that adds thirty cents a litre to the price of gasoline and federal and provincial governments are finding cute ways to increase taxes on fuel. What I am saying is if you don’t like the price of fuel, you have to ask your politicians, especially those here in Canada why they thought it was bright to cause this current energy crisis because Canada plays a major role in being able to provide the world something it desperately needs right now.”
McTeague expects the price to drop below the two-dollar mark soon before bumping back up again before the May long weekend.
“I think you will see a dollar ninety for the next week but come the May two-four weekend, the unofficial launch to the start of summer holidays, both in Canada and the United States, I would expect gas prices will shoot up an average of 15 cents per litre than what we are paying today.”
In addition, the surging price of gas is causing many Canadians to re-think their summer holiday plans.
A survey done for the Tire and Rubber Association of Canada finds two-thirds of us will be cancelling, or shortening, our summertime road trips this year.
For young drivers, that level rises to 75 percent.
McTeague mentioned when the rubber meets the road, people will still pay the high prices but may sacrifice some road trip routines.
“They will still pay those exorbitant prices but they will be cutting out other things like that stop along the way to their favourite restaurant or that picking up of extra items they might want to bring as gifts. Those things will be nixed.”
– with files from Vista Radio newswire