It shouldn’t ever cost well over $200 to fill a car with gas. And yet, right now, skyrocketing fuel prices are making this a reality for so many British Columbians.
This is not just a southwestern B.C. problem, as even here in Williams Lake gas prices are now pushing a shocking $2 per litre. High gas prices are felt more acutely here in rural B.C., as we typically have larger vehicles, drive further distances, and have fewer alternative transportation options than those in other parts of the province.
This is just one reason why the NDP government’s response to rising prices has been so frustrating. A few months ago, Premier John Horgan suggested that those finding it difficult to afford gas should just “take the bus” instead. That’s all well and good if you live in a Vancouver neighborhood that is well-serviced by public transit, but that is simply not the case for so many people outside of the Lower Mainland. So many of us in rural B.C. couldn’t get to work, the grocery store, medical appointments, or other necessary destinations without our cars. We simply have no other option. But instead of taking steps to provide much-needed relief, the NDP has decided to place the burden on British Columbians, leaving people on their own in the face of growing unaffordability.
Just last week, Premier Horgan doubled down on this sentiment. When asked if his government was going to do anything to address still rising gas prices, Horgan suggested he had no further plans to provide relief. His only advice was to tell people to “think before you hop in the car” — an incredibly unhelpful and out of touch comment from a Premier who came to power on the promise of “making life more affordable.”
Unfortunately, with every passing day it looks more obvious that this was a promise John Horgan never intended to keep.
news@wltribune.com
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