Gas prices hit record levels in Metro Vancouver on Friday, believed to be due, in part, to this week's increase to the provincial carbon tax. The highest reported price for regular Friday was 169.9 cents per litre in White Rock, where gas is full-service — a full six cents above last year's high of 163.9. Other self-serve gas stations in the region were selling gas for one cent less. B.C. 's carbon tax went up from $35 to $40 per tonne this month, adding an additional 1.1 cents to the per-litre price of gas — a price already inflated because two of the four refineries in Washington state that supply the province have been shut down, leading to a cinched supply. "We're not the only ones starting to see record prices," said gas analyst Dan McTeague, citing sky-high prices in California. "We are in new territory and I suspect, for most people, the pain at the pumps will continue." Werner Antweiler, a business professor at the University of British Columbia, said the additional taxes and higher prices could have locals searching for alternatives to gas-powered vehicles. "People will eventually start buying more fuel-efficient vehicles as a result of high fuel taxes — whether it's a carbon tax or any other fuel tax," he said earlier this week. Another 1.5 cent per litre price increase is expected on Canada Day, when TransLink's regional fuel tax rises from 17 cents to 18.5 cents per litre.<doc-sep>Share this Story: Metro Vancouver drivers see another painful record as gas prices jump Metro Vancouver drivers see another painful record as gas prices jump The cost of fuel around Metro Vancouver is rising again, break previous record-high prices that were set only a week ago. Photo by Alan Diaz / AP Article content With Metro Vancouver gas prices hitting record highs for the second week in a row and Jason Kenney vowing to “turn off the taps” if elected premier of Alberta on Tuesday, the B.C. government has a big problem on its hands, according to one petroleum analyst. “I wouldn’t want to call Jason Kenney’s bluff,” GasBuddy.com analyst Dan McTeague said Friday. “He’s not fooling around.” We apologize, but this video has failed to load. tap here to see other videos from our team. Try refreshing your browser, or Metro Vancouver drivers see another painful record as gas prices jump Back to video Earlier this week, the United Conservative Party candidate said he’d stop the flow of Alberta oil and gas to B.C. in retaliation for the provincial government’s attempt to block construction of the Trans Mountain pipeline expansion. In response, Attorney General David Eby said B.C. would challenge that move in court with an immediate injunction. Premier John Horgan said the outcome of the election was up to the people of Alberta. “Whoever they choose to run their government is someone I’m going to have to work with, and I look forward to that,” Horgan said during a media availability Thursday. Advertisement Story continues below This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. Article content When asked about gasoline, the premier blamed record-high prices on fuel companies and gas stations, rather than taxation. “There’s been no tax increase this week,” he said, referring to the increase in the provincial carbon tax that seemed to bump up prices April 1, “yet we’ve seen massive price increases at the pump. I think the travelling public understands the issue here is not taxation specifically.” Horgan said it was “going to be a long summer,” before launching into an explanation of the province’s strategy for combating the price hikes. “It’s critically important that we drive resources into alternatives for people. That’s why transit is so important. That’s why … we’re providing opportunities going forward to make sure that people can get out of their gas-guzzling cars and get into lower-emission vehicles. That helps the climate and it also reduces the hit on pocketbooks.” Horgan said he’s also directed his deputy minister to look at B.C.’s “refining challenges.” But McTeague wasn’t buying it: “(B.C. has) the highest taxes in the country. The premier can’t say he can’t do anything. The government has created the climate for high prices, and the fact is they’ve just lathered on an extra couple cents of carbon tax.” With another increase expected this year on the dedicated TransLink tax in Metro — from 17 cents to 18.5 cents per litre — drivers should expect the gas taxes levied by the province to go up, not down. Advertisement Story continues below This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. Article content Provincial taxes make up 34 cents of every litre of gas purchased in Metro. Federal taxes, including GST, bump up the total tax to 52 cents, almost one-third of the cost of a tank when prices are around $1.60 per litre. Only those immune to the price hikes seemed to be smiling Friday, when some Metro gasoline stations were advertising gas for $1.689. “My reaction to the gas rates going up is that I don’t care,” said Corinne Herringer, standing beside her electric car. “I charge my car every night, and I get up in the morning, and it’s ready to go. I never have to hit a gas station, so the prices of gas don’t matter.” Gary Behnke picked up his new electric car three days ago. “I’m getting quite the chuckle as I’m driving by, knowing that I’m never going to have to fill up again,” he said. Behnke estimated he used to pay $3,000 per year for gas. He expects his costs will be about $400 now. “Friends and family hop in the car and see how much fun it is to drive … They are considering it for their next vehicle,” he said. Gas prices are expected to go up again Sunday. gluymes@postmedia.com twitter.com/glendaluymes Share this article in your social network Latest National Stories Advertisement Story continues below This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. Vancouver Sun Headline News Sign up to receive daily headline news from the Vancouver Sun, a division of Postmedia Network Inc. Email Address There was an error, please provide a valid email address. By clicking on the sign up button you consent to receive the above newsletter from Postmedia Network Inc. You may unsubscribe any time by clicking on the unsubscribe link at the bottom of our emails. Postmedia Network Inc. | 365 Bloor Street East, Toronto, Ontario, M4W 3L4 | 416-383-2300 Thanks for signing up! A welcome email is on its way. If you don't see it please check your junk folder. The next issue of Vancouver Sun Headline News will soon be in your inbox. We encountered an issue signing you up. Please try again Trending<doc-sep>Send this page to someone via email Brace yourself, drivers, gas prices are breaking records again. Just as predicted, prices at the pumps hit another all-time high in Metro Vancouver early Friday morning, with some stations in Burnaby jumping to $1.68.9. It got even worse later that day, with prices in White Rock seen one cent higher at $1.69.9. The same price was also reported in other cities within the region, marking the highest price ever seen in any North American city. That’s after record prices of $1.67.9 were recorded in Coquitlam last Thursday. WATCH: (Aired April 4) Catherine Urquhart reports on the record gas prices in Metro Vancouver last week 1:59 New record gas prices at Metro Van pumps New record gas prices at Metro Van pumps – Apr 4, 2019 Petroleum analyst Dan McTeague said Friday the sky-high prices will be here for a while, as Metro Vancouver competes with the entire U.S. West Coast for gasoline south of the border. Story continues below advertisement That’s being complicated by the shutdown of six refineries in Washington state and California. “We just don’t see any price movement here at least until Wednesday,” McTeague said. “That means the high prices in Metro Vancouver are going to linger for four or five more days. No change tomorrow. No change Sunday.” That doesn’t mean the prices are that high everywhere, with some stations in municipalities like Maple Ridge and Abbotsford posting prices 20 cents cheaper per litre. While that may be driving business, McTeague said the sales strategy will ultimately hurt those stations in the long run. “I like to use the term “#GasBarShenanigans,” he said. “Those gas bars that are selling for $1.48, I mean good luck to them, but they’re buying their gasoline wholesale. “I would recommend every driver fill up there, because sooner or later, they’re going to get a call from their bank saying, ‘Losing eight, nine cents a litre, it can’t be replaced by selling volumes of beef jerky or whatever they’re selling in the store. '” Tweet This Click to share quote on Twitter: "I would recommend every driver fill up there, because sooner or later, they're going to get a call from their bank saying, 'Losing eight, nine cents a litre, it can't be replaced by selling volumes of beef jerky or whatever they're selling in the store.'" Story continues below advertisement Political ramifications Prices have been white hot across the Lower Mainland in the wake of B.C.’s carbon price hike on April 1, which added an extra cent to every litre of gasoline. When asked about the rising prices at a press conference Thursday, Premier John Horgan said provincial taxes aren’t to blame, and think the public agrees. WATCH: (Aired April 9) Alberta UCP Leader Jason Kenney threatens to cut off B.C.’s gas supply 2:02 Alberta UCP leader Jason Kenney threatens to cut off B.C.’s gas supply Alberta UCP leader Jason Kenney threatens to cut off B.C.’s gas supply – Apr 9, 2019 “I think the travelling public absolutely understand that the issue here is not taxation specifically,” the premier said. “It’s about a cumulative impact of a whole host of issues, but at the root of it is significant increases in the price going to providers, not going to government.” Story continues below advertisement There are also fears that prices could rise again in the wake of the provincial election in Alberta, where presumed front-runner and UCP Leader Jason Kenney has vowed to “turn off the taps” of gasoline to B.C. if he’s elected premier. Horgan says his government would likely win any court challenge that stems from Kenney following through on his threat. In the meantime, he told reporters he would look to get more gasoline from refineries in Washington state. That won’t work, McTeague said Friday. “They don’t have additional spare barrels of gasoline and if they do, they’re going to charge a lot more than what they’re charging now,” he said. “It’s nice to think that way but I would have to think the way you want to look is towards the Asian-Pacific markets — that’s where you’ll find additional barrels of gasoline but it will cost a lot more.”<doc-sep>VANCOUVER—The cost of fuel around Metro Vancouver is rising again, break previous record-high prices that were set only a week ago. Prices at some Vancouver-area stations were listed at $1.68.9 per litre early Friday, a jump of more than one cent overnight and an increase of about five cents since last Thursday. Analysts blame the trend on issues ranging from gas shortages to reduced capacity at refineries in the western United States as those facilities do annual maintenance or switch to summer-blend fuels. An increase to British Columbia’s carbon tax on April 1 also added about one cent per litre to the cost of gasoline. After prices reached $1.64 per litre on April 4, Premier John Horgan pledged his government would monitor the situation, but he also said carbon and other taxes were not the only reasons for expensive fuel. Dan McTeague, petroleum analyst with Gasbuddy.com, says wholesale gas sells for $1.56 per litre, so he doubts retail prices will drop soon, and just two weeks ago predicted drivers should expect “$1.60 to $1.65 will be the new normal.” Read more about:<doc-sep>
Send this page to someone via email If you can, you may want to wait to fill your tank until Sunday. That’s the advice of petroleum analyst Dan McTeague with GasBuddy.com, who is forecasting that Metro Vancouver gas prices will set another all-time record on Friday. Last week, the price of gasoline already reached a new, all-time high in Metro Vancouver. It reached $1.67.9 a litre at a gas station in Burnaby early Thursday morning in Coquitlam. It's official: Metro Vancouver has shattered its all-time highest gas price record. This Esso at Austin Ave & Poirier St. in Coqutilam was selling fuel for $1.67.9 around 10 a.m. on Thursday. The previous record was $1.63.9 pic.twitter.com/zKCnoaZaOn — Global BC (@GlobalBC) April 4, 2019 The persistent high prices include the new one-cent bump in the carbon tax and refineries’ switch to a pricier summer blend in recent weeks, McTeague said. Story continues below advertisement But McTeague said the continued upward pressure is a result of Metro Vancouver competing with the entire U.S. West Coast for gas amid refinery maintenance and shutdowns at six American facilities in Washington state and California. “That’s the main reason why we see prices moving up as quickly as they are, not just here in Vancouver, where the problem is exaggerated by a constant (reliance) on external sources for most of our gasoline needs,” he said. WATCH: Alberta UCP leader Jason Kenney threatens to cut off B.C.’s gas supply 2:02 Alberta UCP leader Jason Kenney threatens to cut off B.C.’s gas supply Alberta UCP leader Jason Kenney threatens to cut off B.C.’s gas supply – Apr 9, 2019 McTeague said Washington’s Cherry Point refinery is expected to complete planned maintenance on Saturday, easing pressure on tight supply and potentially leading to as much as a two-cent drop in prices. “There seems to be light at the end of the tunnel,” he said. Story continues below advertisement McTeague also weighed in on the possibility of Alberta “turning off the taps” of gasoline should Jason Kenney be elected premier. He said that in such a situation, prices could climb by 20 to 25 cents per litre with highs potentially beginning to enter the $2 per litre realm.