Predicted gas increase causes lineups at the pumps

Some gas stations across the province were extra busy Wednesdayas consumers made sure to fill up before a predicted gas increase of 14 cents a litre goes into effect at midnight.

There were lineups at some stations including theFrederictonCostcowhere employees weredirecting traffic as vehicles lined up to fill their tanks.

Truck driver Charles Turner arrived with a trailer filled with gas from the Irving refinery and expected to be back again with another load.

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CBC News New Brunswick's Gas Guru Robert Jones expects the full effect of Hurricane Harvey fallout to be felt at the pumps this Thursday."Between the two loads I'll be bringing around 115,000 litres," Turner said.

But he admitted he was a little surprised at the line ups.

"What people will do to save a $1.50."

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But for some, saving that money on a fill-up is important.

"So I saved, what, $14.00? It was worth coming this morning, but I had no choice," said J.C. Angers after he filled his truck.

SheilaKilburnstopped and filled her car. "I knew the price of gas was going up, so I decided to fill up today."

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But whileconsumers are saving before the predicted price hike, New Brunswick retailers are losing.

TheThursday price rise is a delayed reaction to Hurricane Harvey, which caused turmoil in petroleum markets and rising street prices across much of eastern North America all last week.

The wholesale prices of gasoline jumped 14 cents per litre last week as Harvey slammed Texas oil refineries and petroleum traders in New York bid prices up rapidly.

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New Brunswick has a weekly maximum for which gas can be sold that isset just atmidnight every Wednesday. Any increases in fuel prices retailers pay their wholesalers, generally can't be passed on to consumers until that weekly pricereset.

"We get killed," said Jerry Scholten, a New Brunswick retailer. "One of the weaknesses of the regulation is that there is this foreshadowing that takes place.In cases like this, we get hammered."

Diesel prices are also likely to rise in New Brunswick on Thursdaybut were less affected by Harvey than gasoline and are expected to increase by five cents or less.

The last major one-day price increase on gasoline in New Brunswick was 12.8 cents on Sept. 13, 2008. That was triggered by another hurricane hitting Texas Ike but the increase lasted less than a week.