.
Search
 Email this articleE-mail this story  Discuss this articleWrite letter to editor  Discuss this articleOrder a classified ad  Print this page

Inuvik gas not the most expensive

Jason Unrau
Northern News Services

Aklavik (Sep 09/05) - "If it's this much here, I wonder how much it is in Aklavik," wondered Twin Lakes MLA Robert McLeod as he filled his truck with diesel, Tuesday afternoon, at a cost of $1.23 per litre at the Arctic Esso.



At 1.42 dollars a litre (1.23 dollars for diesel), Arctic Tire gas station attendant Daniel Allen was pumping some expensive fuel this past weekend.


"Geez, I think I'll earn enough on air miles to get to Edmonton with this one."

Gasoline was $1.44 per litre at the Arctic Esso and $1.42 at FasGas and Arctic Tire.

While the price of crude oil and gasoline on world markets had their biggest recent declines last Friday as the International Energy Agency released emergency fuel supplies, the price of gasoline for consumers around this country remained high.

On Wednesday, Aug. 31, a barrel of crude hit $70.85. The recent jump in the price of fuel has been mainly attributed to hurricane Katrina, which knocked out many of the American gulf coast's refinery facilities.

Back at Arctic Gas, employee Scott Kasook said, despite the usual good-natured complaining, sales have remained the same. "People have got no choice, really, they have to gas up," he said. "They complain but they all know what's happening. About time to buy a bike, I guess."

Kasook added that taxi drivers were among the most dissatisfied. "It costs me 100 bucks to fill my tank when it used to be 80," said a driver for United Taxi, who wished to remain anonymous. "That's a 20 per cent increase."

Drivers in Inuvik who were taking solace in the fact that Aklavik probably has it worse, think again.

When the Drum called the Aklavik General Store at 5 p.m. on Tuesday, gas there was $1.39 per litre.

Prices around the country As of Tuesday Sept. 6:

  • Vancouver B.C. 99.9 cents/litre
  • Calgary, Alta. $1.104/litre
  • Edmonton, Alta. 99.0 cents/litre
  • Toronto, Ont. $1.239/litre
  • St. Johns, Nfld. $1.481/litre
  • Charlottetown, P.E.I. $1.345/litre
  • St. John, N.B. $1.399/litre
  • Whitehorse, Yuk. $1.169/litre