December 3, 2024
Record high gas prices in Vancouver a taste of the future without TMX
Gas prices posted in Vancouver on April 17, 2019.
Gas prices posted in Vancouver on April 17, 2019.

While visiting family in Vancouver recently, my sister actually called me to say that on her drive home from our mom’s house, she noticed gas prices had dropped significantly to — wait for it — $1.58.9.

“If there’s room in your gas tank you should take advantage of this low price,” she said.

She wasn’t being facetious. That was indeed a very good price and, as luck would have it, my son and I passed that gas station within 15 minutes, so we filled the almost-empty tank.

Earlier that week I had reluctantly put in just $30 worth of gas rather than fill up my son’s gas tank, because the price for a litre of fuel at that time in Vancouver was $1.72.9 per litre. In recent weeks, the price has reached as high as $1.78.9 cents in Metro Vancouver — the highest in North America.

As an Albertan, the pain caused by the hit to my wallet was dulled somewhat by the knowledge that British Columbians are getting a taste of what their anti-pipeline future will look like. As the fella in the Honda Civic behind me grumbled that he was limiting his fuel purchase to just $10 while waiting for prices to go down, even a little, I felt emboldened by my son’s B.C. licence plate and said: “We need the Trans Mountain pipeline expansion to be built.” He nodded unenthusiastically.

Those anti-pipeline folk who say the TMX expansion won’t help lower Vancouver’s gas prices are full of hot gas. The TMX is one of the few pipelines that can and does switch the products it transports, and refined gasoline and diesel is moved in it.

What sound facts and arguments haven’t been able to do to convince British Columbians about the need for increased oil and gas supply to B.C., just might be accomplished by the significant hit to their bank accounts.

[…]

See Also:

(1) Savage faces critical decisions on curtailment and crude-by-rail deal

(2) Trans Mountain pipeline fight descends into total farce

(3) The Force is with Alberta in its energy war against Liberals

(4) Trudeau’s goose is already cooked in attempt to sway Alberta voters

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