Vancouver-area gas prices continue to shatter records

Gas prices in Vancouver continued to break records Sunday, reaching a staggering 222.9 cents per litre.

Online tracker Gas Wizard shows people in the city facing more pain at the pumps than anywhere else in the province or the country.

In B.C.'s Interior, prices are still below $2 per litre, sitting at 194.9. But in Victoria, drivers are paying 217.9.

How B.C. stacks up against the rest of Canada varies, although prices in major cities in neighbouring Alberta are significantly lower.

In Calgary filling up costs 163.9 cents per litre, while in Edmonton it's 159.9.  

Farther east, Sudbury is the only city in Ontario that has exceeded the $2 mark, with most cities in that province paying 199.9.

WHY IS GAS SO EXPENSIVE?

Since the cost of fuel first rose to more than $2 per litre in Metro Vancouver back in March, there's been little relief in sight.

Experts and B.C.'s premier have largely blamed the Russian invasion of Ukraine for a trickle-down impact felt across the globe for the surging prices.

One energy expert told CTV News there’s another major factor at play.

“The main cause for this is refineries,” said Vijay Muralidharan, senior analyst for Kalibrate Canada.

"Summer driving season has begun in the U.S., which de facto means that refineries are going to charge a premium to produce gasoline,” added Muralidharan.

A carbon tax increase also took effect in B.C. in April, bringing that tax up to 11 cents.

"The average Canadian pays 50 cents per litre in taxes, people in Vancouver about 59 cents per litre,” Muralidharan noted. 

In March, when prices climbed above $2 per litre, B.C. announced a one-time, $110 rebate for most drivers in the province. However, that money won't hit people's bank accounts until later this month or early in June.

NOT ONLY DRIVERS IMPACTED

The B.C. Trucking Association said the spiking gas prices also mean consumers will pay more for almost everything as the cost of transporting goods rises.

“When you come out of that grocery store, what you’re going to see again is those incremental price increases," Dave Earle, president of the association explained.

“Five cents here, 10 cents there and all of a sudden your bill looks a little bigger than it did last week or last month."

With files from CTV News Vancouver's Michele Brunoro, Regan Hasegawa and Kendra Mangione