Gas price jump leaves motorist feeling pain at the pumps

Higher gas prices have taken its toll on Thunder Bay drivers, many of whom say they are frustrated with the fact that the situation is out of their control.

According to GasBuddy.com,, Ontario’s average price for regular gasoline rose to $1.36 a litre on Tuesday, which is an increase of about four cents from Monday.

In Toronto, motorists saw pump prices soar an average of more than 6.3 cents overnight to about $1.39 a litre, while in places like Hamilton, Kitchener-Waterloo and Ottawa saw prices jump by more than a nickel for a low of $1.32 a litre in Ottawa to nearly $1.39 a litre in Hamilton.

Those prices were still lower than what local motorists faced. The price for gas in Thunder Bay, as of Tuesday morning, averaged about $1.44 a litre. That’s an increase of about five cents from last month, which saw prices hovering around $1.35.

Some residents who spoke with tbnewswatch.com said like it or not, they don’t have a choice but to pay whatever the price is listed at.

Denise Kettle was filling her 2007 PS Spectrum on Tuesday. She said she purchased her car because she thought it would save her money on gas, but after spending more than $65 on fuel she began to rethink her driving habits altogether.

"I don’t understand it because as far as I knew the price of crude oil per barrel had gone down, so I don’t understand why the price at the pump is up," Kettle said. "I had been expecting any day to see the prices go down. I don’t like it.

"If it goes up much more I think I’m going to limit to essential trips or maybe to try and put all my trips into one route.”

On Monday, the price for crude oil rose 5.5 per cent to US$102.55 a barrel but was down 68 cents at US$101.87 on Tuesday.

Nadia Larussa, owner of Zoom Courier and Delivery Service, said on average, she pays $3,000 a month for gas. They have bicycle couriers, but motorized vehicles are still essential for her business.

"I feel the price of gas is like the weather – there’s not much you can do about it," Larussa said. "We need it so why complain?"

Brian Bailie left Calgary yesterday where he paid a $1.20 for gas. When he came back to Thunder Bay he said he didn’t like that he had to pay more than 20 cents more.
It cost him about $70 to fill his car.

"If the rest of the world (are paying these prices) I guess we have to too," Bailie said. "We don’t really have a choice. You got to do what you got to do."