Fuel prices drop in all three Maritime provinces overnight Friday

Prices at the pumps dipped in all three Maritime provinces Friday ahead of the May long weekend — with diesel seeing the sharpest drop.

In Nova Scotia’s Zone 1, gas fell by 4.6 cents, bringing the minimum price in the Halifax area to $2.03 a litre. Diesel dropped by 17 cents, with the minimum price now $1.95 a litre in Zone 1.

On Prince Edward Island, gas fell by 5.2 cents overnight, bringing the minimum price to $2.05 a litre. Diesel dropped by 28.7 cents, to a new minimum price of $2.13 a litre.

After increasing Thursday, gas prices in New Brunswick dropped 8.6 cents overnight, bringing the maximum price of gasoline to $2.03 a litre. Diesel fell by 16.2 cents, resulting in a maximum price of $2.38 a litre.

GOVERNMENTS HAVE OPTIONS FOR RELIEF, BUT WILL THEY USE THEM?

A motion brought forward by the New Brunswick liberal opposition to eliminate the provincial gas tax for four months fell flat in the legislature Thursday.

If adopted, the price of gas would have dropped by 10.87 cents, and people making $25,000 a year or less would have got a $500 payment from government.

While the motion did not receive consent for debate, it will get a second chance when the legislature sits again on June 1.

By motion or not, a Cape Breton University political science professor says there are options governments can consider to help consumers with high gas prices.

“Quebec gave $500 and is considering another $500, and that way it's a little more equitable for people who rely on other forms of transportation,” said Tom Urbaniank in an interview with CTV Atlantic Thursday.

In Alberta, the province recently suspended its tax on fuel, which led to an immediate reduction in the price of gasoline.

That’s something Nova Scotia's finance minister said won't happen in the province.

Allan MacMaster said, instead, that their focus is on people at the lowest income levels.

“People who have higher incomes, the inflation we're seeing is not a nice thing to experience, but they're more equipped to deal with it than people at the lowest income levels,” said MacMaster in an interview Thursday.

Government officials, however, could get a break. MacMaster says he's reviewing the province's government mileage rate.

“Anybody that is working for the government and providing service to the public, we don't want there to be any out-of-pocket costs,” said MacMaster. “There is a cost to deliver services and it's the government's costs to bear.”