Drivers in Princeton, B.C., are paying noticeably more at the pump than those in surrounding communities.
As of this week, gas prices in Princeton are hovering around $1.41 per litre, roughly 10 to 20 cents higher than nearby cities in the regional district.
Prices in Penticton, Keremeos and Kaleden range from $1.22 to $1.26, while Kelowna sits closer to $1.37.
The discrepancy has prompted Princeton Mayor Spencer Coyne to call on the province to step in.
“We wrote a letter to the province pointing out that the gas prices in Princeton are a lot higher than the rest of the regional district,” Coyne said.
“It puts undue hardship on our residents, and it also impacts our economy.”
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Coyne says the higher prices are difficult to justify, especially since fuel servicing the area comes from the same source as neighbouring communities.
“All I want is somebody to look into it,” he said. “Is there something going on here? Why are we being punished over other communities? Is it because we’re remote? I don’t think we’re that remote.”
With a population of about 3,000, Princeton also depends heavily on travellers passing through town. Highway 3 runs directly through the community, making it a common stop for drivers travelling between the Lower Mainland and the Okanagan.
Coyne says higher gas prices risk pushing travellers to bypass the town altogether.
“If your gas prices are high, they’re going to bypass you,” he said. “If they bypass you, our restaurants suffer, our service industry suffers, our sales, all of that suffers.”
Beyond the broader economic impact, Coyne says rising fuel costs are placing additional strain on local residents, particularly those who must travel frequently for medical care.
The Ministry of Water, Land and Resource Stewardship was unavailable for comment. Coyne says he hopes the province will take a closer look at fuel pricing and distribution across the region.
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