Once again, it is evident that gas stations in Salmon Arm continue to overcharge motorists.
Until fairly recently oil per barrel was down to as low as $86 US and there were no shortages of oil along the West Coast.
During the last several months, there have been only several minor reductions in the price at the pump for regular unleaded fuel in Salmon Arm, compared to more frequent and larger reductions in the price at pumps in Enderby, Armstrong and Vernon, all of which are located farther away from tank farms.
The oil companies cannot continue to justify with a response such as “competitive market prices prevail locally.”
On Jan. 21, for unleaded per litre, Salmon Arm was at 1.17. Kamloops averaged $1.019, Duncan and Courtenay were $1.099, Enderby, Armstrong, Vernon, Kelowna, Kamloops, Merritt and Abbottsford were $1.109 to $1.119, Chilliwack and Victoria (has a 3.5 cent/litre transit tax) were 1.139, Nanaimo and Tofino were $1.169, and Vancouver (with a 15 cent/L transit tax) was $1.269.
While I support buying items in stores locally, I urge motorists in Salmon Arm, Sicamous and Sorrento to fuel up in more competitive cities elsewhere whenever possible to send a message to the oil companies that local prices are unrealistically too high.
It appears to me that oil companies are not very ethical as they seldom give us a break at the pump when the price per barrel drops.
It appears by living on the Trans-Canada Highway east of Kamloops, we are charged much more than is necessary.
Let the oil companies know about how you don’t like being overcharged, by phone numbers or email.
Supporting high priced local gas stations only encourages prices to remain high, so please do your part to change that – for everyone’s benefit.
Ian Clay