Daily gas price check: Sarnia has lowest gas prices in Ontario at 188.3 per litre

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This article was published 26/05/2022 (1600 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

The average price for gas in Ontario on Thursday is 196.9 per litre, down from Wednesday’s average of 198.5, and up from last month’s average of 179.0 and last year’s average of 125.7 per litre, according to the CAA.

Ontario drivers continue to see eye-watering prices at the pumps as record-breaking gas prices in Canada have led to an increase in consumer goods and food prices, and impacted the way people live their lives.

High prices compounded with a jump in Canada’s inflation rate, which hit 6.7 per cent in March, the steepest increase in more than 30 years, have hurt consumer sentiment, say analysts.

Average gas prices in GTA

• Toronto — 196.4 per litre

• Durham — 194.4 per litre

• York — 195.7 per litre

• Peel — 194.7 per litre

Here’s how we compare to the rest of Canada

The average gas price in Canada is 195.1 per litre.

Gas prices are the lowest in Alberta where prices are 170.0 per litre. Gas prices are the highest in Newfoundland and Labrador at 219.9 per litre.

How we got here

In January, gas prices started spiking across the country, and by February began shattering records as prices at the pumps soared.

At the same that COVID-19 restrictions started to lift and people began moving around again, driving up demand for gas to pre-pandemic levels, an escalating situation in Ukraine and a flurry of international sanctions on Russia put pressure on an already strained supply and sent international crude prices into a tailspin.

Experts say the hardest hit by high gas prices are low-income Canadians who are more likely to spend a sizable chunk of their income on transportation and are less likely to afford electric vehicles in order to offset rising costs.

Top places to fuel up in the GTA

• 187.9 at Costco, 1411 Warden Avenue, Toronto

• 190.2 at Shell, 13947 Hurontario Street, Caledon

• 190.2 at Ultramar, 16544 Hurontario Street, Caledon

• 191.5 at Dost Petroleum, 13823 Hurontario Street, Caledon

• 191.9 at Petro-Canada, 189 Guelph Street, Halton Hills

• 191.9 at Petro-Canada, 5241 Highway 7 West, Vaughan

• 192.2 at Circle K, 10187 Kennedy Road North, Brampton

• 192.3 at Husky, 681 Chrislea Road, Vaughan

• 192.6 at Ultramar, 2956 Queen Street East, Brampton

• 192.7 at Canadian Tire, 3020 Mavis Road, Mississagua

This week’s gas trends

Dan McTeague, president of Canadians for Affordable Energy (CAE) and operator of the gas prediction site gaswizard.ca, says markets are unlikely to move significantly in either direction over the next week “due to inflation, a global recession, and higher interest rates” which compete with strong demand and low fuel inventories.

McTeague recommends drivers try refuelling at night rather than in the morning — “gas prices are often a little cheaper then,” he says.

“Vehicle maintenance and easy driving save money in the long run,” he added.

Tips for saving money on gas

Experts say consumer driving habits can impact how much money they spend on gas. Some simple tips to save money on gas include:

• Driving at a steady speed and avoiding abrupt movements, as most vehicles are most fuel-efficient when they’re running between 50 and 80 kilometres per hour

• Avoid idling

• Travelling light and removing heavy, added weight to the vehicle like hockey equipment in the trunk could help fuel consumption

• Using apps that provide daily updates for gas prices in your local area, like GasBuddy and Waze, which rely on crowdsourced information

• Hitting the gas station earlier in the week, as some experts say prices tend to rise on Thursdays and into the weekend

• And the obvious one: use your vehicle less, try to carpool more often, use public transit, ride your bike or walk

With files from Ivy Mak

Dorcas Marfo is a reporter for the Star’s radio room based in Toronto. Reach Dorcas via email: dmarfo@thestar.ca