Metro Vancouver gas prices expected to climb well above $2/L
Just after midnight Monday, the price for gasoline at stations throughout Metro Vancouver climbed above $2 per litre, before dipping ever so slightly below the two-dollar mark.
It is not a record high, but the fact it’s still only March “does not bode well,” because historically prices peak around April or the May long weekend, according to an analyst.
The most recent hike is being blamed on the switch from winter to summer gasoline.
To help cars start in cold weather, winter fuel contains butane which is relatively cheap, but generally not recommended for summer driving.
“That butane when burned in warmer temperatures, contributes to low-level ozone which you don't really want in cities where there are potentially hundreds of thousands of vehicles running around, including Vancouver,” said Patrick De Haan, petroleum analyst at GasBuddy.
“You’d probably noticed it in air quality,” he said.
This is also considered the shoulder season, when refineries are doing maintenance in anticipation of the switch in gasoline.
That means they aren’t producing as much fuel, and of course when supply is low, prices go up.
“It's also the fact that across Canada and the United States, there’s not just one type of summer gasoline but over a dozen, so it's a logistical challenge to get the gasoline to where it needs to go in time for that summer gasoline switch over,” explained De Haan.
As for how high the price at the pump will rise, De Haan warned that if there is an issue at one of the refineries, we could see the cost of gas climb 20 to 30 cents more per litre.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
DEVELOPING 122 active wildfires burning across Canada, 32 considered 'out of control'
The 2024 wildfire season has begun, and it's shaping up to follow last year's unprecedented destruction in kind, with thousands of square kilometres already consumed.
B.C. parents sentenced to 15 years for death of 6-year-old boy
A British Columbia Supreme Court judge has sentenced the mother and stepfather of a six-year-old boy who died from blunt-force trauma in 2018 to 15 years in prison.
Veteran TSN sportscaster Darren Dutchyshen has died
Veteran TSN broadcaster Darren 'Dutch' Dutchyshen, one of Canada’s best-known sports journalists, has died. He was 57. His family says 'he passed as he was surrounded by his closest loved ones.'
Miller scores late as Canucks grind out 3-2 win over Oilers in Game 5
J.T. Miller scored in the final minute of the game and the Vancouver Canucks came back for a 3-2 victory over the Edmonton Oilers in Game 5 of their second-round playoff series Thursday.
Think twice before sharing 'heartbreaking' social media posts, RCMP warn
Mounties in B.C. are urging people to think twice before sharing "heartbreaking posts" on social media.
Police issue Canada-wide warrant for Regina homicide suspect
Police have issued a Canada-wide warrant for a man wanted in a homicide which occurred in Regina on May 12.
Trudeau calls New Brunswick's Conservative government a 'disgrace' on women's rights
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau assailed New Brunswick's premier and other conservative leaders on Thursday, calling out the provincial government's position on abortion, LGBTQ youth and climate change.
Kevin Spacey receives star support as he fights to get his career back
Kevin Spacey is pushing back on the 'rush to judgment' against him and is being backed by some big names as he seeks to reclaim his acting career.
Speaker cuts ties with Sask. Party, alleges he faced threats, harassment from gov't MLAs
The Speaker of the Saskatchewan Legislature Randy Weekes has severed ties with the Sask. Party after accusing some members of harassment and intimidation tactics, including a situation he claimed saw the Government House Leader bring a hunting rifle to the legislative building.