Brett Bundale, The Canadian Press Posted Sunday, June 5, 2022 4:07 PM EDT Last Updated on Sunday, June 5, 2022 6:01 PM EDT
Gasoline prices continued to rise across much of Canada over the weekend and experts warn there will be further increases this week.
National average gas prices rose to $ 2.06 on Sunday, nearly three cents more than the day before and 11 cents higher than a week ago, according to the Canadian Automobile Association.
“We’re seeing record gas prices broken repeatedly across the country,” said Dan McTeague, president of Canadians for Affordable Energy.
On Sunday, Vancouver hit a staggering $ 2.37 a liter over the weekend, while Montreal posted gasoline prices just below $ 2.24 a liter, according to Gas Wizard. directed by McTeague.
St. John’s reached $ 2.23 and Toronto approached $ 2.15 for a liter of unleaded regular gasoline.
Fuel prices are expected to rise three cents more in the coming days, he said, and average gasoline prices are expected to reach $ 2.12 a liter nationwide on Monday afternoon.
In the Atlantic provinces, where gas prices are regulated, McTeague said regulators could use so-called disruption clauses to introduce mid-week price hikes.
Gas prices have risen sharply over the past year as a tight global supply has been exacerbated by the Russian invasion of Ukraine.
Prices have also risen due to strong demand as the economy reopens and an intense travel season begins.
“Prices continue to rise, reflecting summer demand,” McTeague said. “Fuel demand remains very strong.”
Rising gas prices are raising the economic toll of inflation for Canadians.
Rising fuel prices have a side effect on the entire economy, raising the prices of most goods and hurting consumer sentiment.
“Energy prices have a cascading effect on the price of food and other goods,” McTeague said.
In a statement, CAA offered Canadians advice on how to improve the fuel economy of any car.
The organization said drivers should drive conservatively and avoid “rabbit” starts, fast accelerations and hard braking, which can reduce fuel economy by 15 to 30 percent at highway speeds and between 10 and 40 percent in stop-and-go traffic.
In addition, CAA said that drivers should minimize the so-called cold engine operation, that is, drivers should start the engine and then drive the car normally to warm it up.
CAA said observing speed limits, removing unnecessary elements from the vehicle, using cruise control to minimize speed fluctuations on highways and avoiding excessive idling also help reduce fuel consumption. fuel.
This report from The Canadian Press was first published on June 5, 2022.