Gas prices in the Vancouver area are now at record highs and could rise even further, to $1.60 a litre by the end of the week. That’s not just going to affect drivers, critics say; it’s going to hurt the entire local economy.
The first of four annual increases to the province’s carbon tax kicked in on Sunday, adding 1.2 cents to the cost of a litre of gas. By Monday morning, prices had risen to $1.56 per litre — more than a quarter higher than in Montreal and Toronto, where gas prices are hovering around $1.30. It’s also significantly higher than the $1.19 drivers are paying in Calgary.
And prices are expected to rise in B.C. even further.
