Gas prices rise: Here's where you'll get the cheapest gas in the Montreal area

Drivers in and around Montreal got an unwelcome sight when fuelling up on Monday morning.

Montrealers are paying the highest prices at the pump in just under a year as gas prices have risen to the highest they've been in 2023.

Prices as high as $1.85 were spotted on the island and reported by the gas price tracking site Gasbuddy.com.

Fuel costs are lowest in Kahnawake on the South Shore ($1.70), and on the island, the Costco in Anjou is selling regular unleaded at $1.72.

Fuel costs on the island are still below last year's sky-high prices when the average cost for regular unleaded went as high as $2.19-per-litre in June before dropping to $1.58 in September.

In 2023, the highest average cost was recorded in April when it was $1.69.

Petroleum expert Dan McTeague explained at the time that the price hike came as stations switched from winter to summer blends of petroleum, which are more expensive.

Summer blends are typically used until mid-September.

Now, oil prices are on the rise and are only going to keep rising, McTeague said.

"We've seen an increase in the past two to three weeks. Oil has moved up about $10 to $12 a barrel, and it's likely to move up another $10 a barrel, mostly because of attempts by governments and markets to ignore fundamentals," he said. "Supply is not where it was, U.S. rig counts are down, [and] Canadian oil is not exactly at 100 per cent. We have, of course, the ongoing war in Europe, we have demand now setting all-time new records."

McTeague said high interest rates may drag demand down somewhat, but, in reality, he said energy prices are going to continue to rise for some time.

"Welcome to the new world of pay up," said McTeague. "If you're upset $1.82 to $1.85 then fasten your seatbelts. We could be looking at a scenario where we march back to $1.95 over the next couple of weeks as long as oil continues to rise as it is expected to do at least for the next couple of months."

He said the war in Ukraine has not helped prices, but it is not having the dramatic effect some suggested it would.

"What's really important is that the world economy is very strong relative to the narrative that has been going on for some time that things were actually getting weak; demand is showing a very, very different picture," said McTeague. "As long as the world continues to move to this transition, transition, meaning less production of oil and gas, we're going to continue to find ourselves short, that shortage is being made up by much higher prices." 

McTeague explained that the wholesale price for gas is the same in Ontario, Quebec, and the Maritime provinces. The difference in price relates to taxation.

Here are the ten stations with the lowest gas prices in the Montreal area, as recorded by GasBuddy.com:

FUEL-SAVING TIPS

Here are the top ten gas-saving tips, according to GasBuddy.com

1. Avoid high speeds

As your speed increases, your aerodynamic drag increases in an exponential fashion. Driving 100 km/h instead of 120 km/h will reduce fuel consumption by about 15 per cent.

2. Do not accelerate or brake hard

By anticipating the traffic and applying slow steady acceleration and braking, fuel economy may increase by as much as 20 per cent.

3. Keep tires properly inflated

Keep tire air pressure at the level recommended by your vehicle manufacturer. A single tire under inflated by 2 PSI, increases fuel consumption by 1 per cent.

4. Use A/C sparingly

When the air conditioner is on, it puts extra load on the engine, forcing more fuel to be used (by about 20 per cent). The defrost position on most vehicles also uses the air conditioner.

5. Keep windows closed

Windows open, especially at highway speeds, increase drag and result in decreased fuel economy of up to 10 per cent.

6. Service vehicle regularly

Proper maintenance avoids poor fuel economy related to dirty air filters, old spark plugs or low fluid levels.

7. Use cruise control

Maintaining a constant speed over long distances often saves gas.

8. Avoid heavy loads

Remove the sandbags from your trunk in the spring and pack lightly for long trips.

9. Avoid long idles

If you anticipate being stopped for more than one minute, shut off the car. Restarting the car uses less fuel than letting it idle for this time.

10. Purchase a fuel-efficient vehicle

When buying a new vehicle, examine the vehicle's rated fuel efficiency. Usually choosing a small vehicle with a manual transmission will provide you with great fuel economy.