2164 replies to this topic

[Mike K.]

The price of oil has crashed to 2016 levels, but Alberta’s opposition is promoting a 10% production cut in order to raise the price of oil for Canadians.

[tjv]

Prices have dropped to $1.289.

125.9 at Costco

[tjv]

The price of oil has crashed to 2016 levels, but Alberta’s opposition is promoting a 10% production cut in order to raise the price of oil for Canadians.

yup Western Canadian Select down to $11.56 per barrel down $0.82 today.  The break even cost to produce is around $40

[rjag]

I'm sure Carole James will jack those prices up before too long

[Mattjvd]

It's so weird how all those things like reduced production, or tight supply, or whatever other bullshit they come up with the justify jacking the price up to 1.50+ only happens in the summer... but some how never seems to happen in the winter when the prices dip (but rarely below where they were the year before).

Fuel sold in the summer is actually a different product than fuel sold in the winter. A different (more expensive) blend of additives is used in the summer to reduce air polution (it lingers more in warm air).

Additionaly, summer hurricanes on the gulf coast effect supply.

https://auto.howstuf...summer-fuel.htm

Edited by Mattjvd, 28 November 2018 - 10:57 PM.

[tjv]

yup Western Canadian Select down to $11.56 per barrel down $0.82 today.  The break even cost to produce is around $40

Its now in free fall, down another 11% this morning to $10.29.  I wouldn't want to be living in Alberta now or anytime soon

[Nparker]

...Additionaly, summer hurricanes on the gulf coast effect supply...

Hurricane season is late in the summer. Why should this have an impact on local fuel supply from June-August?

[Mattjvd]

Hurricane season is late in the summer. Why should this have an impact on local fuel supply from June-August?

Increased prices in early summer to stifle demand and stockpile fuel to sell in August-September when gulf coast refineries are not operating.

[Mike K.]

I don't think a lot of British Columbians angry at the significantly higher gas prices we pay (compared to literally every other province) are making the connection between supply, refining capacity, fuel taxes, carbon taxes, transit taxes and the eventual price at the pump.

 

The same people vehemently opposed to the pipeline, but supportive of the NDP's higher taxation, appear most frustrated with the cost of gas.

[vortoozo]

The same people vehemently opposed to the pipeline, but supportive of the NDP's higher taxation, appear most frustrated with the cost of gas.

 

Disagree. I'm opposed to the pipeline, supportive of the higher taxation in order to fund things like transit and encourage conservation, and believe that higher gas prices encourage people to think twice about taking transit, carpooling, or not taking as many trips.

I drive to Tofino quite a bit less than I used to as a direct result of higher gas prices.

High gas prices change behaviour. Europe is a great example.

[RFS]

Disagree. I'm opposed to the pipeline, supportive of the higher taxation in order to fund things like transit and encourage conservation, and believe that higher gas prices encourage people to think twice about taking transit, carpooling, or not taking as many trips.

I drive to Tofino quite a bit less than I used to as a direct result of higher gas prices.

High gas prices change behaviour. Europe is a great example.

God why don't we all just leap off a tall building while we are at it

[sdwright.vic]

Higher gas prices haven't changed my behavior one bit.

[G-Man]

I'm with Vortoozoo for the most part too. I am a big fan of carbon taxes when done right and they do change behavior. We just need more of that tax money going into improved transit.

[Mike K.]

I've got some really bad news for you if you think a few pennies more per dollar will revolutionize transit. Taxation is a death through a thousand cuts. A few pennies here, a few pennies there, and all that's achieved is maintenance of the status quo. In fact our public infrastructure has never been in such a state of disrepair or under-development yet our taxes are higher today than they have ever been.

[vortoozo]

I've got some really bad news for you if you think a few pennies more per dollar will revolutionize transit. Taxation is a death through a thousand cuts. A few pennies here, a few pennies there, and all that's achieved is maintenance of the status quo. In fact our public infrastructure has never been in such a state of disrepair or under-development yet our taxes are higher today than they have ever been.

 

If you're looking at transit in particular, that's simply not true. Annual transit hours have steadily been increasing in the last five years, with more busses on more routes. And much of the funding increase is directly coming from carbon/gas taxes. Passenger trips per service hour have also remained roughly static, meaning that every new service hour is attracting new passengers. Service hours per capita have increased.

[Mike K.]

Only 9.3% of funding is via the gas tax.

 

Don't be fooled by rising operating hours and the number of routes, look at the cost to deliver those services and compare them to the increase in services. BC Transit's operational costs have risen faster than BC Transit's service increases. Meanwhile the system is still the least used form of transport in the region with only 6.5% of trips as of the 2015/2016 year.

[LeoVictoria]

I've got some really bad news for you if you think a few pennies more per dollar will revolutionize transit. Taxation is a death through a thousand cuts. A few pennies here, a few pennies there, and all that's achieved is maintenance of the status quo. In fact our public infrastructure has never been in such a state of disrepair or under-development yet our taxes are higher today than they have ever been.

 

No free lunch.  You want to spend more on infrastructure you either borrow the money or raise it via taxes.   

[Mike K.]

And therein lies the problem. There are too many free lunches across all levels of government these days.

 

The French have something to say about that, apparently.

[Bob Fugger]

I am a big fan of carbon taxes when done right and they do change behavior.

 

Where and when?

[sdwright.vic]

Where and when?

And we agree Bob... all this is only changing the patterns of poor people. The ones with big old trucks and SUVs aren't changing a single thing with these carbon taxes, They only affect the poor. They don't affect me and I am no where near rich.