Fuel prices drop across N.L. as debate over rising cost of living continues
Gas prices down 4 cents per litre Thursday
Fuel prices are down for the most part across Newfoundland and Labrador on Thursday morning.
The maximum price of gasoline is down four cents per litre, after the weekly adjustment by the province's Public Utilities Board, dropping the highest price of a litre of unleaded self-serve to $1.886 on the Avalon Peninsula.
Prices in other parts of the province vary, including $1.911 in central Newfoundland, $1.89 in Deer Lake and Corner Brook, $1.902 in Stephenville and $1.952 in Western Labrador. Central Labrador continues to have the cheapest gas prices in the province at $1.596, while Ramea is still the most expensive place to fill up, at $2.01.
The maximum prices of all other fuels, except for propane, are also down Thursday.
The price of diesel is down 4.8 cents per litre, furnace oil is down 1.65 cents per litre and stove oil is down 6.2 cents per litre in Newfoundland and just under 3.5 cents in Labrador.
Propane is up 4.1 cents per litre.
Government addressing rising cost of living: Coady
Fuel prices and the rising cost of living in the province were a hot topic during Wednesday's sitting of the House of Assembly, with debate about what can be done to help people in the province tackle rising prices.
The provincial government announced 10 per cent increases to the income supplement and seniors' benefit on Tuesday. Finance Minister Siobhan Coady also announced a one-time benefit for people who receive income support, which will come in the first week of April. Individuals will receive $200 and families will receive $400.
Opposition leader David Brazil questioned whether the increase to the income supplement will do much to help the 162,000 individuals and families who receive it each year, saying the changes translate to only an extra $11.25 every three months.
"We all understand the importance of the cost of living. I think we're all here because we want to make a difference," Premier Andrew Furey said. "We're caring, compassionate parliamentarians who recognize this incredible issue for the people of the province. Yesterday we launched a plan that was meant to address the acute, immediate need of those in need the most."
Furey, who was in Ottawa for Tuesday's announcement, said the province is taking a "fulsome approach" to tackling the cost of living, saying government doesn't need to take a knee-jerk response when looking after the most vulnerable people in the province.
PC MHA Tony Wakeham called on Finance Minister Siobhan Coady to write to her federal counterpart to defer the HST on gas until prices drop.
"It's about choices, and this government has a choice to make. It has a choice to make for the people of Newfoundland and Labrador," Wakeham said.
Coady called Wakeham "misinformed," saying she doesn't have the power to lower the HST on fuel prices.
"It's not me or the people on this side that actually set global oil prices. But I will say to the member opposite, we're doing everything that we can to support the people of the province."
The following chart shows how gas prices have changed recently at Newfoundland and Labrador retailers, as reported by users of the GasBuddy.com website.
