WATCH: Record-high gas prices in Greater Victoria are costing some commuters an extra $1,000 a year. But some businesses are going green to save on fuel costs. Tess van Straaten reports.
It’s a fact of life for most of us ? more pain at the pump as gas prices in Greater Victoria hit record highs.
Prices are now around $1.55 a litre, thanks to a supply shortage and increased gas and carbon taxes in B.C. But prices have been climbing for several months now and you might be surprised at just how big the jump at the pump’s been.
A year ago, gas was 26 cents a litre less, on average, in Greater Victoria and dipped as low as $1.21 heading into last summer.
In the last two years, prices are up 49 cents a litre ? a 46 per cent increase. So what does that mean for the average driver?
A compact SUV commuting 10 kilometres a day in the city is paying about $115 more a year. A commuting 30 km round trip from Central Saanich will see a $350 increase and a car travelling 80 km a day roundtrip from Mill Bay will have to fork out almost $1,000 more.
For fuel-dependent businesses, the costs are even higher.
“There have been rising costs for our operating costs because of the rise in fuel so our margins are getting thinner and we’re just trying to stay ahead of the curve,” says Chris Stansfield of Garden City Tree & Landscaping.
At Garden City Landscaping, they’re going green ? in a big way ? to reduce fuel costs.
“We just purchased a fully electric vehicle for running around doing estimates, design work, and we’re also first in line to get a fully electric 3-ton dump truck, hopefully in October,” says Stansfield
They also have an energy-efficient excavator saves the company $2,000 to $3,000 a month on fuel. They’re switching from gas-powered hand tools to re-chargeable ones and when they have to fill-up, they buy gas in bulk and have it delivered to reduce the cost.
But with some experts predicting prices could climb above $2/litre if exports from Alberta are limited over the pipeline dispute, the gas gouge could get worse.
Tess van Straaten
