Northerners looking for immediate relief at the gas pumps will be disappointed as the province is not following in the footsteps of Alberta.
The price of one litre of regular gas at many northern gas stations is approximately $1.60. Premium fuel in Stony Rapids is $1.88 and $2.45 in Fond du Lac.
Many gas operators expect the price to rise by three cents in the coming days.
“We are actively looking at what we can do to support Saskatchewan people through a cost of living increase that isn’t just solely on one commodity cost of living increase that is across the board. So that’s the discussions that we’re having,” said Premier Scott Moe.
He said other considerations are; paying off provincial debt and deficit, pandemic spending and increasing health care expenditures.
“We’re facing $1.60 a litre at the pumps here Monday and families struggling with significant cost of living increase. We feel that the provincial government needs to provide some relief on fuel costs for Saskatchewan people,” said NDP critic Trent Wotherspoon.
On Monday Alberta Premier Jason Kenney announced the province would temporarily suspend the collection of gas tax revenues April 1, providing 13 cents a litre in relief.
A barrel of West Texas Intermediate oil is $127USD on Tuesday. Kenney also announced a rebate of $150 applied directly to electrical bills.
While SaskPower weeks ago said hydro prices would rise five percent this year and an additional five percent next year.
Both the Saskatchewan an Alberta governments are calling on the federal government to delay the implementation of an increase to the price on carbon or to temporarily suspend it.