As Canadians find relief at the pump, travellers in Golden and Revelstoke are still shelling out cash, with some of the highest gas prices in the country.
The price varies from 214.3 to 219.9 in the two mountain towns, which is tied for the fourteenth most expensive in the country according to Oil Price Information Service (OPIS), a leading North American supplier of energy data. OPIS uses credit card data, meaning they have access to almost instantaneous pricing at the pump.
In Newfoundland and Labrador’s (NL) Happy Valley-Goose Bay, a fairly isolated community with a population almost identical to that of Revelstoke, regular gas sits at 216.2/L as of July 20. NL has the highest provincial average cost of gas in Canada at 202.6/L according to CAA, the only province still at over $2/L.
Some places in B.C. have also dipped below the $2 marker in recent weeks, with a provincial average of 199.2/L.
The continued high prices have sparked debate, as prices fall in the surrounding areas, except for in Golden and Revelstoke. The further south you go, the more prices drop, with gas at 207.9/L in Radium, 202.9/L in Invermere and 203.9/L in Cranbrook, according to GasBuddy.
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Even the famously pricey metro-Vancouver area has prices as low as 189.9 in Abbotsford, the lowest in the province.
Doug Clovechok, MLA for Columbia River-Revelstoke, has been aware of the gas price difference between Revelstoke and Golden and its neighbours for some time and is actively searching for answers.
Clovechok and Revelstoke Mayor Gary Sulz have been in conversations with the British Columbia Utilities Commission (BCUC) since November 2021, but even now have received no concrete answer.
He added that he believes the provincial government has the ability to, and indeed should, lower the cost of gas provincially by reducing taxes. Clovechok said that it’s important they ease the pain of his constituents in places like Revelstoke and Golden who are already feeling the pressures of inflation and the rising cost of living.
“You can’t tax yourself into prosperity,” added Clovechok.
The national average is 183.5/L as of July 16.
Of the top 100 priciest places to stop for gas, B.C. makes up 94.
To help save gas, BCAA recommends planning for shorter drives, minimizing the use of air conditioning and lightening your load to not carry extra weight which can burn extra gas.
Fast accelerations can also burn up to 37 per cent more fuel, says BCAA, so lighten the lead foot and slow down to save gas. Having a full tank of gas can also help.
A well-tuned and up-to-date car will also help keep your gas use low.