Red Deerians and central Albertans were paying less at the pump than the rest of Canada on Friday.
In the morning, the average gas price at Red Deer stations was 118.9 cents per litre, which was notably lower than Alberta’s provincial average of 135.8, according to GasBuddy.
At 11:20 a.m., the city’s average price was the lowest among the 143 Canadian communities listed on the gas station-tracking website. At that time, the Esso station at 6020 67 St. was the cheapest station in Red Deer with a price of 114.9 cents per litre.
Unfortunately for Red Deer drivers, the price of gas started to rise in the early afternoon. By 3:30 p.m., the average price jumped up to 125.5 cents per litre, with some locations posting gas prices of 126.9.
The average gas price in Red Deer on Thursday was 118.9 cents per litre, which was the city’s lowest average this year. Last month’s average gas price in the city was 145.9 – earlier this summer, the city averaged as high as 191.9.
Curtis Johnson, of Red Deer, was filling up his car at the Co-op Gas Bar at 3115 Gaetz Ave. on Friday afternoon. He said the price of gas isn’t too big of a deal for him.
“I don’t drive around that much and it’d be different if I owned a commercial company where I was driving all of the time. But it’s good to see (prices are cheaper than earlier this summer) for everybody out there,” said Johnson.
Dave Gowryluk, who was filling up his vehicle at the same location, said he was frustrated to see the price of gas rise on Friday afternoon.
“It was just down to 118. I’m working outside Wetaskiwin where it’s 128. I pull into town for two days off and it’s 118, then I gas up today and it’s 126,” he said, adding he is glad prices are down from where they were earlier this summer.
Other central Alberta communities featured some of the country’s cheapest prices on Friday morning as well. At 11:20 a.m., Ponoka’s average price was 121.9 cents per litre, Lacombe’s was 126.9, while Rocky Mountain House and Sylvan Lake both had an average price of 127.9, and Olds had 135.9.
Alberta currently has the cheapest prices among all of Canada’s provinces. The province is currently saving Albertans 13 cents on every litre of gas or diesel through its Fuel Tax Relief Program.
In June 2022, Alberta’s government extended this program until at least Sept. 30. The government will review West Texas Intermediate prices in mid-September and provide another update before the start of the next quarter on Oct. 1. The fuel tax will not be re-implemented unless the average price of WTI falls below $90 per barrel, the provincial government said.
Nationally, the average gas price was 153.7 cent per litre, as of Friday afternoon.
sean.mcintosh@reddeeradvocate.com
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