Falling gas prices a gift that won’t keep on giving: anaylst
It was an early holiday celebration for motorists at some London, Ont. gas pumps Friday morning.
Primarily in the south and east end of the city, the price for a litre of gasoline fell to $1.25.
The temporary three-hour drop was prompted by a promotion at one service station that lowered its price for regular fuel by 10 cents a litre.
Within minutes most competing stations followed suit.
“It hasn’t been this low in over a year now,” exclaimed Carson Bollert as he filled up.
Londoner, Shari Boland, was also pleasantly surprised.
“I was really shocked. I was dropping my grandson off at school and I said, “Well, I’ve got to come in today.”
And with a growing list of grandchildren, the savings to fill up her minivan is substantial.
“This saves quite a bit, especially with a new granddaughter just arrived it’s going to make a big difference.”
That is especially true for drivers of larger gas vehicles.
Al Sater was happy to get a lower price as he recalled what he paid for gas in mid-June when prices peaked at $2.15 per litre.
“Almost $200, or $190, something like that”.
But at Friday's rate, he paid just over $100 to fill up.
At current prices, even small car drivers are saving $30 to $40 a fill-up, concedes a national gas price analyst.Jordan Vanderboor fills up gas cans during a temporary gas promotion. The price fell to $1.25 at some stations in London, Ont., on Friday, Dec. 9, 2022. (Sean Irvine/CTV London)
But Dan McTeague of GasWizard.ca cautions it is a Christmas gift that will not last into the new year.
McTeague predicts prices will jump well above $1.50 in late January and “skyrocket” from there.
“They are going to go back to $2.00 a litre and they are going to stay there, and there is nothing to hold them back.”
Perhaps this might be why some were filling up gas cans Friday.
Unfortunately, it is a futile tactic for those driving diesel vehicles.
With supply chain needs keeping diesel prices high, most drivers know their pain at the pumps is not going away.
“And it won’t”, shares McTeague. “Diesel is in short supply”
“I think the government should subsidize diesel more to lower the prices of groceries etc.”, shared one diesel driver while filling up. "Because people are poor, and it is not good,” he added.
But another driver put it back on the oil and gas companies.
He says if stations can afford promotions, they can afford to permanently drop prices.
“If they got the room and money to lower it by 10 cents for a few hours, that tells me maybe they’re making a little too much.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
BREAKING Ontario Provincial Police arrest 64 suspects in child sexual exploitation investigation
Ontario Provincial Police say 64 suspects are facing a combined 348 charges in connection with a series of child sexual exploitation investigations that spanned the province.
AstraZeneca says it will withdraw COVID-19 vaccine globally as demand dips
AstraZeneca said on Tuesday it had initiated the worldwide withdrawal of its COVID-19 vaccine due to a 'surplus of available updated vaccines' since the pandemic.
Toronto police seek suspect vehicle after security guard shot outside Drake's mansion
Toronto police are seeking help from the public as they continue to investigate a shooting that seriously injured a security guard outside rapper Drake's mansion.
World's record-breaking hot temperature streak stretches through April
The world just experienced its hottest April on record, extending an 11-month streak in which every month set a temperature record, the European Union's climate change monitoring service said on Wednesday.
Most of Canada to receive emergency alert test today
The federal government will test its capacity to issue emergency alerts today, with the exception of Ontario, where the test will take place on May 15.
OPINION What King Charles' schedule being too 'full' to accommodate son suggests
Prince Harry, the Duke of Sussex, has made headlines with his recent arrival in the U.K., this time to celebrate all things Invictus. But upon the prince landing in the U.K., we have already had confirmation that King Charles III won't have time to see his youngest son during his brief visit.
Seafood, eat food: Calgary Stampede releases Midway menu
The Calgary Stampede has released its menu of sweet, salty and spicy treats available on the Midway for the Greatest Outdoor Show on Earth.
Boy Scouts of America is rebranding. Here's why they've changed their name
After more than a century, Boy Scouts of America is rebranding as Scouting America, another major shakeup for an organization that once proudly resisted change.
Ontario man devastated to learn $150,000 line of credit isn't insured after wife dies
An Ontario man found out that a line of credit he thought was insured actually isn't after his wife of 50 years died.