So, what happened to the gas tax holiday?
Manitoba’s NDP government suspended the 14-cents-a-litre provincial tax on fuel back in January, but average pump prices in Brandon are sitting at $1.33 right now, and could rise another 10-cents in the next few weeks.
The increase is being blamed on the annual switch to summer gasoline blends which are costlier and currently in limited supply. The reason higher-grade summer blends cost more is because the production process takes longer, and the overall yield of gasoline per barrel of oil is lower.
Still, Manitoba’s gas prices are down 18 cents from a year ago – and are the cheapest in the country. Saskatchewan is at about $1.47-a-litre, B-C is at $1.70 – and Alberta is just slightly behind Manitoba at $1.37.
The break on the provincial gas tax is expected to end in June.
