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Drivers welcome lower gas prices

Some feel even with lower prices Canadians pay too much for gas
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Mike Rose’s KTM 1190 motorcycle likes nothing but the best when it comes to gasoline, so he was happy to see prices drop after the United Conservatives spiked the carbon tax.

“This is a fairly high-performance bike, so I’ve got to run 91 octane,” said Rose as he gassed up in north Red Deer on Monday.

Ninety-one octane fuel costs 130.9 cents per litre, a few cents less per litre than he was paying a few days ago, and well below the 156 cents he paid at one point.

Regular gas was selling for 111.9 at most Red Deer stations, down from about 118.9 before the goverment killed the carbon tax at the end of May.

Rose, who lives in Rocky Mountain House, said prices should be lower still.

“We’re an oil-producing country. Why are we getting screwed?” he said. “We’re still over taxed.”

Rose blames politicians for not doing more to help Canadians.

“As long as we have leadership that is willing to accept that status quo, bend over everybody.”

Eugene Schlosser lives in Joffre, so he puts plenty of kilometres on his vehicle.

“I think it’s great,” he said of the lower prices.

High gas prices are tough to take. It’s not fun to pay what used to be enough to fill a tank, only to get about two-thirds full.

Schlosser said reducing taxes and fuel costs is a good way to help Albertans.

Flora Bornyi was happy to see lower prices “but it’s still too expensive,” she said.

“I just put $70 in right now, but I’m too sure it’s going to fill it up,” she said as she gassed up her minivan.

“Everything is expensive right now. You go to the grocery store and everything is expensive.”

Matthew Benner said he’s waiting to see what the federal government is going to do on the carbon tax front. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said that all provinces will have to pay a carbon tax.

“It will be interesting to see what happens at the federal level,” he said.

He also wonders what will happen to prices if Alberta ends up in a legal battle over the carbon tax.

Benner questions why fuel is being taxed even more, when there are many other things that contribute more to our carbon footprint.

The tax penalizes those who are already trying to cut back on emissions. He needs a pickup for work and specifically sought out the most fuel-efficient truck he could get with the size of box he needed.

He saw it as a way to save on fuel costs, but also be environmentally responsible.

“You do stuff like that, and you still get stuck with that extra tax.”



pcowley@reddeeradvocate.com

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