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Gas prices drop, but not here Hay River motorists now paying 112.9
while city pumps stay at 138.9Simon Whitehouse Northern News Services Published Wednesday, January 30, 2013
For most of 2012 to date, prices in Yellowknife have generally stayed in and around the current price of 138.9 cents per litre. In Hay River, however, gas station managers this week said the price at the pump was 112.9 per litre at both the Esso and Shell stations. The price of gas at the Hay River Shell was at 134.9 a couple months ago before dropping to 124.9 last month and then finally 112.9 within the last couple of weeks. In Fort Providence the price is 134.9; it was 137.9 in December. A Twin Falls Inn manager in Enterprise said Monday that he was charging 124.9 per litre after a drop last week from a long stable 137 cents. All prices are for a regular-grade gasoline. "Our console currently says 134.9 so we are about halfway between the prices in Enterprise and Yellowknife," said Big River Gas Station general manager Dave Wilkes. "The prices are slowly dropping here and that is probably down six cents in the last couple of weeks. "It is odd because traditionally we have been pretty much the same as Yellowknife. "Now we are lower than Yellowknife. Maybe the trucking firms are giving me a bit of a break." The question was put to Ben Walker Sr., general manager of Yellowknife Co-op, this week whether residents could expect a similar drop from its current rate. "I have no idea," he said. "I don't know anything about that." When presented with the figures in Hay River and Fort Providence, it seemed to be news to him. "I guess I would be surprised," he said of the difference. "That is a lot. "I don't know anything about (whether prices will drop). If this market drops, we will drop with it." He added if the market price doesn't drop, the prices will continue to be the same and that Yellowknifer should talk to Esso because YK Co-op is a small independent station. Interestingly, Gastown manager Roy Ferrier, who also could not account for his prices, recommended Yellowknifer speak to YK Co-op because "if anyone should drop, it should be the Co-op and they are the leader," he said. "People get their best prices from the Co-op." A call was also put to the Esso gas station on Forrest Drive. However after repeated efforts, the new manager said she had no comment on why the current gas price was at $138.9. Range Lake Road Shell station manager Saif Jutt also would not comment about prices. "It has been at the same price for the last year but I have no idea why," he said, indicating it is not his job as owner to hear complaints about gas prices. Jutt referred further questions to the Shell's company headquarters, located in Calgary. Media relations spokesperson David Williams in Shell's Calgary office provided information about how gas prices are determined generally but could not speak to the prices in Yellowknife specifically. A number of drivers at local pumps said Monday that they were not happy with the news that they were paying more than Fort Providence or Hay River. "They have the Deh Cho Bridge now and I think the prices could be brought down a little lower," said Dianne Mercredi, who was filling up at Co-op Monday afternoon. "It's been stable over the last year and it would be nice if they brought it down." Meanwhile, Jason Parent, a senior associate with The Kent Group, a Calgary-based consulting firm for the petroleum industry, said the pricing trends are traditionally quite stable in markets like Yellowknife and Whitehorse. Due to the low volume of sales in the North, there is a lesser tendency for gas stations to tie their overall prices to the crude prices, he said. "It is a pretty isolated market and there is a fair bit of expense in terms of getting the product up there," said Parent. "So there tends to be elevated marketing margins (difference between wholesale price of gasoline and the pump price excluding tax) and little in the way of intense pricing competition within the market because there isn't a lot of outside sources that can be pulling those prices." What do you think of lower gas prices south of Great Slave?
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