BC drivers head to US as gas prices climb to near-record levels

Here we go again… Gas prices are skyrocketing.

The Gas Wizard warned drivers in Vancouver that by Sunday, the price for fuel per litre would rise about 13 cents.

Unfortunately, the prediction was correct and locals started to report filling up on $2.339 per litre of regular over the weekend.

The price slightly missed the all-time record for the region, which was set on June 6 at $2.369 per litre.

The drastic price jump caused many to flee to Point Roberts, where gas was significantly lower.

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The owner of a Shell station in Point Roberts, Pinder Kallu, told Daily Hive that regular fuel was roughly $1.459 (USD) per litre over the weekend at his station.

He said this caused major lines and ended up being one of the station’s best weekends for sales.

“Obviously, with the price difference, customers would rather shop here and save an extra couple bucks,” he said.

Dan McTeague, president of Canadians for Affordable Energy, told Daily Hive that he predicts the high price won’t last too long.

He expects that within a week, prices will moderate “perhaps back to the $2 a litre threshold.”

He explained, the increase the region is seeing stems from “temporary maintenance at the Philips66 refinery in Ferndale, Wash., maintenance to BP’s Olympic Pipeline in the same state and overall general tightness in gasoline supplies on much of the US west coast which are now at decade lows in terms of inventories.”

According to Gas Buddy, there are a few stations you can fill up the tank at a lower cost:

• Chevron in Vancouver: $2.149 per litre
• Esso in Vancouver: $2.169
• Husky in Surrey: $2.139
• Petro-Canada in Maple Ridge: $1.999