Gas prices drop across Simcoe County

Travellers saw another decrease in gas prices Saturday, with Barrie residents seeing rates drop below $1.60 per litre.

 “We’ve seen what could be by Sunday a four-day period in which gasoline prices have dropped 23 cents per litre. That’s unprecedented. That’s never happened, even in 2009,” said Dan McTeague, President of Canadians for Affordable Energy.

“The massive increases were reactionary. And I think this is bringing them back down to more normality, and that can only be a good thing,” said motorist Alan Moore.

Travellers are pleased to see the prices drop but not satisfied.

 “How quickly they’ve come down over the past few weeks really just kind of reinforces how absurd, and crazy the rapid increases were,” added Moore.

 “It’s going in the right direction, but it makes a big difference to whether you want to head up north, and it adds another 20-30 bucks to your trip each way which you’ve got to think about,” said Stephen Bell, while travelling through Barrie.

 However, some say they’ve been able to avoid the wrath of the rising prices at the pumps in recent months.

 “Post COVID, a lot of people have the ability to work from home. I’ve been lucky enough to be in that group. Personally, gas prices haven’t hit me too hard,” said Moore.

 But unfortunately, not everyone has been so lucky.

“I drive to Brampton every day for work, and I live up here, so it’s a good amount of gas to go through and then the food prices as well and everything else is going up gas prices just hurt it,” said Michael Gillies.

 The volatility in gas prices has left residents unsure what to expect daily when filling up.

 “What I think we’re looking at here is some confusing numbers, and I think it’s up now to the US administration department of energy to clarify. I think erroneous data that it published that may be at the root of why we’re seeing these dramatic decreases as welcome as they are,” said McTeague.

 Motorists don’t even want to venture a guess at where prices will go next.

“Not very optimistic unless the government drops the tax component of gas. I don’t think the Russia-Ukraine war is going anywhere, which means we will have the same sort of supply issues which drives up price,” said Bell.

“My buddy drives a smaller Ranger, and it’s still $45 for about a quarter of a tank,” said Gillies.

 McTeague, a petroleum analyst says drivers can expect another two to three cent decrease on Sunday. Moving prices to a level we haven’t seen since February.