Gas prices up in P.A.

Mar 20, 2018 | 2:09 PM

As the temperature goes up, so does the price of gasoline in Prince Albert.

Gas prices in Prince Albert are currently sitting between $1.03 and $1.14 per litre. Dan McTeague, a senior petroleum analyst with GasBuddy, said the warmer weather means oil refineries will soon be shifting to a summer gas formulation, which comes at a higher cost to drivers.

Oil refineries are required to change their formulation during warmer weather to make fuel less susceptible to higher temperatures, he explained, adding spring maintenance at oil refineries is also causing a bit of a crimp in the available oil supply.

McTeague said prices are already up over the same time last year, and he does not expect to see lower prices over the summer.

“The low prices we saw last year are definitely in the rear-view mirror and have a lot to do with higher demand for gasoline, higher price for oil [and] a weaker Canadian dollar,” McTeague said. “That is likely to remain for a couple of days. Perhaps we could see that drop on the weekend a penny or two, but this is really indicative of what we could start seeing this year.”

McTeague said gas prices are up across the country. In Vancouver, for example, drivers were paying nearly $1.55 per litre.

“Be thankful you’re not in Vancouver today, because you’d be paying another 40 cents a litre,” he said.

McTeague said he expects the price of fuel to go up again after Easter, when the switch to summer fuel comes into effect.

 

Charlene@tebbutt@jpbg.ca

On Twitter: @CharleneTebbutt