Gas prices on the way up again
The shock of Wednesday’s $0.10 increase is expected to carry over to Thursday, according to Dan McTeague, president of Canadians for Affordable Energy.
“Over two months since we've seen prices pushing up towards $1.68.9 which is what you're going to see at a lot of stations this time tomorrow,” said McTeague who adds this is the highest we’ve paid at the pump since Aug. 4.
McTeague says the increase has nothing to do with the upcoming long weekend. He points to today’s announcement by OPEC to cut oil production by two million barrels a day as a contributing factor.
He says a major deficit would normally be met by an increase in supply by North American governments.
“Unfortunately you don't have pipelines. You don't have the infrastructure,” McTeague said. “We have an attitude of divestment towards the oil and gas sector on a scale that is frankly incomprehensible.”
And that attitude is causing grief. People are cutting back while others cancel gas guzzling trips. “We wanna keep our costs in line,” said Kevin Kalaydjian, owner of Capri Pizzeria who is feeling the pinch in more ways than one.
“The suppliers (are)putting fuel surcharges on our bills and then now the gas prices for our drivers and just frankly for us too, picking up product or just driving home. It's tough.”
Sandra Crabb, who was in town to visit family, is paying more to fill her tank for the return trip home to Newcastle, Ont.
“Am I upset? Definitely,” said Crabb. “The prices are, it's outrageous. I have no idea why prices are going up like this. There's no reason for this.”
The price hike has far reaching impacts in our community, especially sectors that rely on volunteer drivers.
“A lot of our volunteers are calling in saying they can't make it anymore because of the gas prices. For them that makes a difference for their budget,” said Ali Bazzi who is food rescue manager for the UHC Hub of Opportunities. “The cost will hurt our operation.”
Marina Vadori used to visit the UHC Hub multiple times a week to supply the food bank at Immaculate Heart Parish. Those trips have been cut to one visit per week.
“We used to have home delivery. All by volunteers. They're not paid. We don't pay for the gas. We've stopped that as of October 1st,” said Vadori. “Fixed budget. You can't stop going places but you have to coordinate where you go.”
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Loblaw leaders push back on 'misguided criticism' of grocer as boycott begins
Loblaw's new chief executive, as well as chairman Galen Weston, pushed back on what they called 'misguided criticism' of the grocer as a push to boycott the company gains steam online.
TD Bank hit with $9.2M penalty after failing to report suspicious transactions
Canada's financial intelligence agency says it has levied a $9.2-million penalty against The Toronto-Dominion Bank for non-compliance with money laundering and terrorist financing measures as the bank also faces compliance investigations in the U.S.
Orangutan observed treating wound using medicinal plant in world first
Scientists working in Indonesia have observed an orangutan intentionally treating a wound on their face with a medicinal plant, the first time this behavior has been documented.
This Canadian restaurant just lowered its prices. Here's how it did it
A Canadian restaurant lowered its prices this week, and though news of price tags dropping rather than climbing sounds unusual, the business strategy in this case is not, according to experts in the field.
There's a limit to how much interest rates in Canada and U.S. can diverge: Macklem
Bank of Canada governor Tiff Macklem says Canadian interest rates don't have to match U.S. or global rates, but there is a limit to how much they can diverge.
Prince William and Kate release photo of daughter Charlotte to mark ninth birthday
Prince William and his wife Kate released a picture of their daughter Charlotte to mark the princess's ninth birthday on Thursday.
Doctors concerned about potential spread of bird flu in Canada
H5N1 or avian flu has been detected at dozens of U.S. dairy farms and Canadian experts are urging surveillance on our side of the border too.
B.C. mayor stripped of budget, barred from committees over Indigenous residential schools book
A British Columbia mayor has been censured by city council – stripping him of his travel and lobbying budgets and removing him from city committees – for allegedly distributing a book that questions the history of Indigenous residential schools in Canada.
Five human skeletons, missing hands and feet, found outside house of Nazi leader Hermann Goring
Archeologists have unearthed the skeletons of five people, missing their hands and feet, at a former Nazi military base in Poland.