Gas prices slightly lower across Yk
Regular dips below $1.389 per litre for first time since 2011
Randi Beers
Northern News Services
Published Friday, November 21, 2014
SOMBA K'E/YELLOWKNIFE
For the first time in years, the frozen price of gas appears to be thawing somewhat.
Andy Simpson fills his tank moments after the Co-op lowered its regular unleaded gas prices to $1.339 per litre Wednesday afternoon. The drop occurred around the same time the Esso pumps at Mac's Convenience Store lowered its price to $1.349, while other gas stations stayed the same. - Randi Beers/NNSL photo |
Just after 3 p.m. Wednesday afternoon the Co-op lowered its regular unleaded gas price to $1.339 per litre while around the same time, Esso advertised its gas at $1.349 per litre. Monkey Tree Gas Bar and Shell were holding steady at $138.9 per litre Wednesday but by Thursday afternoon Shell had matched Co-op's price.
Prices at the city's two card locks are also dropping. Bassett Petroleum in Kam Lake is charging $1.147 per litre and PetroCan, across from the Co-op is charging $1.27 per litre.
Gastown, a full service gas station, remained at $1.419 Thursday afternoon.
Andy Simpson was filling his tank at Co-op Wednesday afternoon right after the price dropped.
"It'll be nice paying less," he said about the new price.
"I've been paying $1.38 for gas in this town for I don't know how many years."
Simpson added he hopes this means prices will continue to go even lower.
Coun. Adrian Bell said he was happy to hear about the change in price and urged residents to reward gas stations who set their gas at competitive prices with their business.
"This is a very good sign that we are at the end of a three-year deadlock," he said.
"I think we consumers have to vote with our wallet and if we don't want frozen gas prices we need to demonstrate loyalty to the retailers who lower their prices. We have to follow through now."
Despite the fact prices are lower, Bell confirmed he still intends to put forward his motion to ask Mayor Mark Heyck and city administration to reach out to retailers about their pricing.
"Yes, this is a conversation we still need to have," he said, adding he's concerned retailers will continue to set their prices on par with the lowest retailer in town, leading to another deadlock.
The price of gas in Yellowknife has rarely fluctuated from $138.9 since May 2011. In April of this year, the price rose at some gas stations to $1.429 per litre for about a day. Prior to that consumers were hit with a one-day spike to $1.469 per litre on May 24, 2013.
Representatives for Esso's corporate office did not respond to requests for comment. A representative of Shell Canada declined to comment and Yellowknifer could not reach managers at Monkey Tree and Gastown.
According to Natural Resources Canada's Nov. 18 statistics, the average price of gas in Canada has dropped three cents from last week to $1.169 per litre from $1.199 per litre. This reflects a 5.7 cent drop in prices over the past month and an 8.4 cent drop over the past year.
