By Laine Mitchell (Twitter: @Laine_Mitchell)

High prices at the pump expected to remain heading into Easter

Mar 26, 2018 | 10:13 AM

If you haven’t filled your vehicle up yet don’t wait around for lower gas prices to hit Drayton Valley.

Prices at the pump across central Alberta are expected to stay level heading into the Easter long weekend, according to one industry analyst.

Gas prices in Drayton Valley are nearly at $1.19 per litre, 26 to 27 cents a litre higher than they were this time last year.

Dan McTeague of the online tech company GasBuddy says the heavy price increase is due to several factors such as refiners going through spring maintenance, higher taxes with oil prices going up and retailers not under cutting themselves and keeping their margins up by 9 to 10 cents a litre.

He adds that prices may drop a penny or two only because of retailers shedding their operating costs, however there is a potential for that drop to be erased because of the long weekend.

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McTeague says the real thing to watch out for is happening in the next couple of weeks, when gas stations transition from winter blend gasoline to summer blend gasoline.

“You may see some liquidation of winter blends of gasoline between now and the first couple of days of April, but overall we are likely to move into the $1.25 range in April and May.”

He adds that during the summer he wouldn’t be surprised to see prices at the pump be as high as they were during the Fort McMurray wildfires when prices were in the $1.30 range.

by Laine Mitchell (Twitter: @Laine_Mitchell)

High prices at the pump expected to remain heading into Easter

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