Gas prices growth will have an impact on every person in our country, every trip to work and to the local grocery store matters and hits your wallet if you planning a road trip or you need to just get around the city to run daily errands.
The cost of filling up has already risen by as much as 20 cents per liter in Winnipeg. The new carbon tax on gasoline, diesel and heating fuels is now implemented in Manitoba since Monday, April 1st. The federal tax is $20 a tonne for this year and is set to increase by $10 annually until it reaches $50 a tonne in April 2022.
The fuel prices vary in different cities, gas prices can differ for about 10-20 cents and even more. The prices can vary about 10-30 cents depending on the area and the neighborhood.
According to GasBuddy, in addition to rising carbon taxes, factors pushing up gasoline prices so far this year include a 35 percent rise in the price of oil since Christmas and a weaker Loonie in comparison to the U.S. dollar.
Winnipeg residents will see prices at the pump near the mid-80 cents per liter mark. Manitoba also sits second in the country with the biggest price change from last year, while Ontario sits first. That’s due to plunging oil prices over the past two months, according to fuel experts.
The business community also has unanswered questions. The federal government has yet to reveal details about a program to rebate some of the increased costs faced by small- and medium-sized businesses.
Residents of the four provinces will be getting rebates as well on their income tax returns. The rebates start at $128 annually, vary between provinces and increase for people with spouses or dependents at home.
The federal government says the carbon tax is a sensible way to protect the environment — put a price on activities that pollute to discourage emissions, and give back most or all of the money through income taxes.
Fellow Winnipeggers get your tanks filled up at the best price possible before prices grow even more.