Daily gas price check: Ontario average surges past $2 per litre

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This article was published 29/05/2022 (843 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

The average price for gas in Ontario on Monday is 200.1 per litre, up from Sunday’s average of 198.3, and up from last month’s average of 184.5 and last year’s average of 127.8 per litre, according to the CAA.

Ontario drivers continue to see eye-watering prices at the pumps as record-breaking gas prices in Canada have led to an increase in consumer goods and food prices, and impacted the way people live their lives.

High prices compounded with a jump in Canada’s inflation rate, which hit 6.7 per cent in March, the steepest increase in more than 30 years, have hurt consumer sentiment, say analysts.

Average gas prices in GTA

• Toronto — 201.3

• Durham — 198.1

• York — 200.0

• Peel — 200.5

Here’s how we compare to the rest of Canada

The average gas price in Canada is 195.4 per litre.

Gas prices are the lowest in Alberta where prices are 169.6 per litre. Gas prices are the highest in Newfoundland and Labrador at 222.5.

How we got here

In January, gas prices started spiking across the country, and by February began shattering records as prices at the pumps soared.

At the same that COVID-19 restrictions started to lift and people began moving around again, driving up demand for gas to pre-pandemic levels, an escalating situation in Ukraine and a flurry of international sanctions on Russia put pressure on an already strained supply and sent international crude prices into a tailspin.

Experts say the hardest hit by high gas prices are low-income Canadians who are more likely to spend a sizable chunk of their income on transportation and are less likely to afford electric vehicles in order to offset rising costs.

Top places to fuel up in the GTA

• 185.9 at Shell, 13947 Hurontario Street, Caledon

• 186.9 At Ultramar, 16544 Hurontario Street, Caledon

• 192.9 at Costco, 1411 Warden Avenue, Scarborough

• 193.6 at Pioneer, 8765 Highway 50, Vaughan

• 193.6 at Circle K, 10187 Kennedy Road North, Brampton

• 193.9 at Ultramar, 2956 Queen Street East, Brampton

• 193.9 at Dost Petroleum, 13823 Hurontario Street, Caledon

• 194.9 at Petro-Canada, 5241 Highway 7 West, Vaughan

• 195.9 at Econo, 7454 Airport Road, Mississauga

• 195.9 at Costco, 90 Windfields Farm Drive, Oshawa

Tips for saving money on gas

Experts say consumer driving habits can impact how much money they spend on gas. Some simple tips to save money on gas include:

• Driving at a steady speed and avoiding abrupt movements, as most vehicles are most fuel-efficient when they’re running between 50 and 80 kilometres per hour

• Avoid idling

• Travelling light and removing heavy, added weight to the vehicle like hockey equipment in the trunk could help fuel consumption

• Using apps that provide daily updates for gas prices in your local area, like GasBuddy and Waze, which rely on crowdsourced information

• Hitting the gas station earlier in the week, as some experts say prices tend to rise on Thursdays and into the weekend

• And the obvious one: use your vehicle less, try to carpool more often, use public transit, ride your bike or walk

With files from Ivy Mak

Aisling Murphy is a reporter for the Star’s radio room based in Toronto. Reach her via email: aislingmurphy@thestar.ca