Ottawa gas prices expected to increase 14 cents a litre on Thursday

Ottawa motorists are being warned to expect a big hike in gasoline prices this week, as prices rise to the highest level since August 2022.

Canadians for Affordable Energy President Dan McTeague says gas prices will increase 14 cents a litre at stations in Ottawa and across Ontario on Thursday.

The price of gasoline is expected to be $1.79 a litre in Ottawa.

"The Canadian dollar is part of the reason for this, but it is the switch over from winter to summer gasoline, a little bit more expensive this year," McTeague told CP24 Thursday morning.

"The Americans are paying the same thing, it's up 32 cents a gallon on Monday."

In mid-April, refineries switch to summer blend gasoline, which is more expensive than the winter blend.

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The hike in gasoline prices comes two weeks after prices increased three cents a litre due to the federal carbon tax hike.  As of April 1, the federal government increased the price on carbon pollution by $15 per tonne to $80.

According to www.ottawagasprices.com, the average price for gas in Ottawa was $1.52 a litre in April 2023.  Gasoline prices jumped above $2 a litre in May and June 2022.

Price hike increasing cost of business

Georgie's Pizzera owner George Hajjar told CTV News Ottawa that as the cost of gas goes up, so does the cost of business.

"That's what my suppliers say. You know, we have to pay more for gas so we have to raise prices," he said.

It also means a blow to delivery drivers, already seeing less business with the rising cost of living.

"Even people who used to order out two or three times a week now only order once a week, so that affects me, affects our drivers, it just affects everything all around."

--With files from CTV News Ottawa's Katelyn Wilson