Regular gas prices in Maple Ridge have soared above 181 cents per litre.
Just before 12:30 p.m. on Tuesday, Mar. 1, gas at several gas stations across the city were at 181.9 cents per litre for regular, according to GasBuddy. Most premium prices are now more than 200 cents per litre, with one gas station selling at 206.9 cents per litre.
The cheapest prices for regular could be found at the Safeway station, at Lougheed Highway, just east of Dewdney Trunk Road, and at the Super Save station, on Lougheed Highway, just west of 207 Street, where customers could find fuel for 177.9 cents per litre.
Just before the weekend, on Friday, Feb. 25, GasBuddy reported prices in Maple Ridge reached 180.9 cents per litre for regular at some pumps across the city.
By Friday at noon, the most expensive place to purchase gas in the city was at the Petro-Canada at 12814 232 St. at 180.9 cents per litre – with most other gas stations across town selling at 177.9 cents per litre. The cheapest stations, again, were the Super Save at 20502 Lougheed Hwy. and just down the street at the Safeway where gas was selling for 175.9 cents per litre.
Gas prices also hit 181.9 cents in Pitt Meadows on Tuesday – with both the Shell on Harris Road and the Mobil & Superstore selling at that price.
Kris Sims, B.C. director of the Canadian Taxpayers Federation, said taxes are a big part of the problem.
“While some of the price increase is caused by speculation connected to unrest overseas, Canadian governments are doing their best to make the pain at the pump much worse via high taxes,” she said in a column that first appeared in the Toronto Sun newspaper.
“In Vancouver the tax bite on gasoline is about 72 cents per litre, including both carbon taxes,” she said, estimating that it will now cost about $135 to fill up a family minivan and about $200 to fill up a light duty pickup truck.
Over a one year period, the average price of gas across Canada has gone from about 120 cents per litre to about 154 cents per litre. In B.C. the average was higher, going from about 130.9 cents per litre from Feb. 25 last year to 169.3 cents per litre as of Feb. 25 this year.
READ MORE: Gasoline prices at Canadian pumps hit highest national average ever
ALSO: 2019 gas prices spike in Lower Mainland breaking North American record
Surprisingly B.C. was not the most expensive province or territory to buy gas in across the country on Tuesday.
The average gas price in Newfoundland and Labrador was 182.9 cents per litre.
Southeastern Alberta had the cheapest average at 135.6 cents per litre.
GasBuddy provides retail fuel pricing information and data from across Canada, the United States, and Australia.
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