'It hurts': Record gas prices squeeze Barrie drivers and businesses

Keith Mitchell tried not to watch the dollars climb on the pump as he filled up his pickup truck on Friday at a Barrie gas station.

"It hurts," he said with a laugh.

After midnight, gas prices in the city and much of Ontario hit a record high of 150.9 for a litre of regular.

That new benchmark may not last long.

Dan McTeague with Canadians for Affordable Energy predicts an increase of two cents by the time the weekend is over.

"We're into really uncharted territories when it comes to record prices for gasoline and diesel."

McTeague says growing demand for gas in the United States, where drivers face fewer pandemic restrictions and not enough supply, contributes to higher prices, as does anxiety over a potential Russian invasion of Ukraine.

McTeague believes a release of pressure with Russia and Ukraine could shave eight cents off the cost of a litre of gas, but prices would remain high.

"The Canadian dollar will continue to be weak, and oil prices will continue to rise because there just isn't enough investment in new exploration and new wells being developed," McTeague says.

He says a planned hike in the carbon tax and the switch from winter to summer gasoline will tack on even more to the cost of a fill-up come April.

RISING GAS PRICES IMPACT LOCAL BUSINESSES

Higher pump prices have forced Wild Lotus Floral Designs to raise prices on their flowers and some deliveries beyond the City of Barrie.

Owner Julie Claire doesn't feel she has many choices with gas driving the cost of bringing flowers in and delivering them up.

"We don't want to raise prices," Claire says. "We're trying to work out, so we're not gouging people, but we also need to live."

More expensive gas could also mean a surprise at checkout for people ordering a bouquet of roses for their Valentine this year.

Claire says the cost of spoiling your sweetie on Feb. 14 is always elevated for the holiday, so in a typical year, a rose that a florist can usually get for a dollar goes for $1.95.

"This year, it's going up to $2.30, sometimes up to 2.85, just for a rose," Claire says.