Fill up with fuel before you enter BC

[Eggscape]

I am sure it has been said before but it is worth saying again.

If you are driving to pick up your new trailer or coming to the rally, fill up on fuel before you enter BC.

We have some of the highest fuel prices in North America.

[Rossue]

Two thoughts: one, that does discourage us from going back to places we love. Two, with the awesome exchange rate I am always surprised to see people from the U.S. pick up new trailers and jam back home.

[jnfrombigt]

Originally Posted by Eggscape

I am sure it has been said before but it is worth saying again.

If you are driving to pick up your new trailer or coming to the rally, fill up on fuel before you enter BC.

We have some of the highest fuel prices in North America.

I was wondering why is BC fuel higher than most of the rest of Canada? Here in South Carolina, I think we're like the fourth lowest fuel prices in the US. I'm lucky that I also have a service station about a mile away that has the reputation as the lowest fuel prices in the state.

[gbaglo]

Originally Posted by jnfrombigt

I was wondering why is BC fuel higher than most of the rest of Canada?

Our fuel comes from refineries on the west coast of the U.S. so we get to compete with demand from California, Oregon and Washington states.

Several of them are currently down for maintenance which is one reason for the spike here.

The east coast of Canada gets fuel from the mid east and Europe that is dumped at low prices.
We could get oil from Alberta, and we do, but people in BC don't want another pipeline. They just want to complain about gas prices. Wouldn't matter much anyway, because somebody would have to risk investing 12 billion dollars to build a refinery at a time that people are switching to electric vehicles etc.

Gas still costs less than bottled water.

[jnfrombigt]

Originally Posted by gbaglo

Our fuel comes from refineries on the west coast of the U.S. so we get to compete with demand from California, Oregon and Washington states.

Several of them are currently down for maintenance which is one reason for the spike here.

The east coast of Canada gets fuel from the mid east and Europe that is dumped at low prices.
We could get oil from Alberta, and we do, but people in BC don't want another pipeline. They just want to complain about gas prices. Wouldn't matter much anyway, because somebody would have to risk investing 12 billion dollars to build a refinery at a time that people are switching to electric vehicles etc.

Gas still costs less than bottled water.

One reason I ask was that my Dad spent one winter in the 1950s working on a pipeline in Alberta so there has to be oil. So the problem is the lack of refinery capacity. I did the Alcan back in 2008 and I almost had to get a second mortgage to pay for the fuel I bought in Canada. Things haven't changed.

[Ron in BC]

Originally Posted by jnfrombigt

So the problem is the lack of refinery capacity.

Well not totally. The metro area close to Vancouver also has a multitude of extra taxes for things like public transportation. It's like us nasty folks who insist on driving are being punished by all the extra taxes.

You can take consolation that if you are gassing up at the Superstore near ETI you at least won't be paying the full price that we do in Vancouver because it's out of the zone that pays the extra levy. Saves you about 40 cents a gallon.

I cross the border at least every two weeks and you can be sure that I don't come home with a low gas tank.

Ron

[gbaglo]

It's a big country with relatively few people. Costs money to move stuff across vast distances.

That's why we pay more for Cocoa Puffs.

[gbaglo]

Originally Posted by Ron in BC

Well not totally. The metro area close to Vancouver also has a multitude of extra taxes for things like public transportation. It's like us nasty folks who insist on driving are being punished by all the extra taxes.
Ron

Keeping in mind, of course, that if it weren't for public transportation, you'd be sitting on the approaches to the Iron Worker's Memorial Bridge for hours, burning fuel.

Bad enough as it is.

[jnfrombigt]

Originally Posted by Ron in BC

Well not totally. The metro area close to Vancouver also has a multitude of extra taxes for things like public transportation. It's like us nasty folks who insist on driving are being punished by all the extra taxes.

You can take consolation that if you are gassing up at the Superstore near ETI you at least won't be paying the full price that we do in Vancouver because it's out of the zone that pays the extra levy. Saves you about 40 cents a gallon.

I cross the border at least every two weeks and you can be sure that I don't come home with a low gas tank.

Ron

I love Vancouver. Very pretty city. It's one of the few cities where I would want to live.

[Brian B-P]

Originally Posted by gbaglo

Our fuel comes from refineries on the west coast of the U.S. so we get to compete with demand from California, Oregon and Washington states.

Several of them are currently down for maintenance which is one reason for the spike here.

Not quite: southern B.C. gets its fuel mostly from Alberta refineries and the Kamloops B.C. refinery (which gets its oil from Alberta); however, some fuel does come from the U.S. and outages in any source have an immediate effect on the retail price.

Originally Posted by gbaglo

The east coast of Canada gets fuel from the mid east and Europe that is dumped at low prices.

The east coast gets its oil from overseas (various sources); it is refined in Canada.

Originally Posted by gbaglo

We could get oil from Alberta, and we do, but people in BC don't want another pipeline. They just want to complain about gas prices. Wouldn't matter much anyway, because somebody would have to risk investing 12 billion dollars to build a refinery at a time that people are switching to electric vehicles etc.

Now that's teetering on the edge being political...


I think the important point is that there are many factors which affect fuel prices, and many of them vary by location. It can be a real issue for local residents, but I think that among all of the other expenses, it is not much more than an annoyance while travelling.

But yes, fill up before crossing the border northbound.

[gbaglo]

I wrote a great response and then deleted it, because even I didn't want to read it.

[themarkofak]

Nevertheless, I love Canada-our friendly neighbors to the east.

[cpaharley2008]

Where is this Superstore mentioned in #6 near the factory? I'll be returning and heading towards Osoyoos, thanks.

[steve dunham]

When we travel to Canada from the US we always carry as much food , alcoholic beverages and fuel as legally and physically possible for two reasons - cost and availability

[Mesa]

Originally Posted by jnfrombigt

I love Vancouver. Very pretty city. It's one of the few cities where I would want to live.

I agree, one of the jewel cities of North America. The airport has the most beautiful terminals I've ever seen.

[NuthatchBC]

The main reason for adding another pipeline from Alberta to the lower mainland is to export oil to Asia because they are willing to pay the big bucks. Also, think of all of the jobs that are involved in producing and transporting that oil. The government doesn't care who uses the oil or where it goes or what it takes to get it there, it just wants the most revenue it can get from it. If the additional oil was going to be used here along with increased refinery capacity, I'd be OK with it. I'm not OK with it going to Asia. It has been proven that China is stockpiling oil in huge tank farms all over the country. As for high gasoline prices, they are done mostly at the whim of the big oil companies. Why do you think they go up just when the summer tourist season starts? Don't get me started.........

[gbaglo]

Originally Posted by NuthatchBC

Why do you think they go up just when the summer tourist season starts? Don't get me started.........

Supply and demand.

[jnfrombigt]

In South Carolina there isn't much in the way of oil production or refinery facility that I know of. I was reading a CBC report that indicated that in the Vancouver area the tax alone is about sixty cents CDN per liter. We pay about $2.55USD total per gallon for regular gas. You're paying close per gallon in taxes alone what we pay total. I don't think you can place much of the blame for high gas prices in BC on the bad old big oil companies or even Chinese hoarding.

[cpaharley2008]

State taxes cause the difference, Pennsylvania has the highest in the country, our gas is always been more expensive, other than Hawaii and California.

[gbaglo]

Originally Posted by jnfrombigt

I don't think you can place much of the blame for high gas prices in BC on the bad old big oil companies or even Chinese hoarding.

Or, maybe you can.