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Gas prices in Greater Victoria expected to jump on April Fool’s Day

It’s not joke: transit tax and other factors pushing gas prices higher in the region
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The Peninsula Co-Op gas station on the Pat Bay Highway in Central Saanich has regular fuel for 149.2 cents per litre Sunday morning. (Steven Heywood/News Staff)

Its no April Fool’s joke: today’s the day gas prices around the Greater Victoria region are set to increase.

The website GasBuddy.com lists most fuel stations in the region sitting at 145.9 per lite of regular gas Sunday, April 1 — with lows of 140.9 at Langford’s Costco location and a high of 149.1 at a downtown Victoria Shell station. Peninsula Co-Op on the Pat Bay Highway in Central Saanich listed their price for regular gas at 149.2 per litre Sunday morning.

Today is when the expected gas tax of two cents per litre Greater Victoria residents will be paying. That tax was set out in the 2018 provincial government budget and was requested by the Victoria Regional Transit Commission in order to fund transit improvements.

As well, retailers are expected to switch over to a more expensive, summertime blend of gasoline.

RELATED: Gas prices spike in Greater Victoria.

According to GasBuddy.com, British Columbia and Newfoundland lead the country in average gas prices. Alberta, Saskatchewan and Manitoba have among the lowest average fuel prices.

GasBuddy.com analyst Dan McTeague notes that Canadian gas prices have jumped an average 22 centre per litre over the same time last year. He also noted that the prices are also being driven higher by higher oil prices ($65 a barrel, compared with $48 per barrel last year). In Canada’s case, he noted in a March 30 entry, higher carbon taxes, a weaker Canadian dollar and refinery challenges leading to more gasoline imports, are all contributing factors.