Gas prices still remain high in Smithers compared to local communities, the rest of the province and the country.
The issue was brought to the town council’s attention during Tuesday’s (Apr 17) council meeting.
In a letter, a local resident is asking the council to address the issue of the high prices across all three gas stations in the community.
Smithers Deputy Mayor Gladys Atrill said she believes there is not much the local government can do besides assisting residents in making their voices heard.
“We can ask other levels of government and it’s not the first time it has happened, this does come up, the province has looked at it before, the federal government, it’s a mystery to me why those prices cannot be more reasonable,” she said.
Atrill also said there is no denying that the gas prices are high in Smithers.
“It’s hard not to state the obvious, the prices in Smithers are always higher than in neighbouring communities, it does seem like there is an issue somewhere up the chain with the people who set the prices and I’m not faulting the local business owners at all, these decisions are made by the companies they work with,” she said.
As of Friday afternoon (Apr 17), gas prices in Smithers averaged at $101.9 per litre, but in Hazelton, the average price was 86.9 cents.
The Federal Carbon Tax also was increased as of April 1 despite COVID-19.