With latest hike, N.S. diesel price has increased by 25% in under a week

Diesel prices in Nova Scotia increased by roughly 17 cents a litre on Saturday, bringing the price to a minimum of 253.4 cents in Zone 1, which includes the Halifax area.

The increase is the fourth straight day the price of diesel has increased.

On Tuesday, the price of diesel was a minimum of 201.7 cents in Zone 1. That means the price has gone up by 25.6 per cent in four days.

For the trucking industry, fuel and labour are their two biggest costs, said Jean-Marc Picard, executive director of the Atlantic Provinces Trucking Association.

He said while trucking companies pass on fuel surcharges to customers, the lag between buying diesel and getting paid for their work is tough to manage.

"If you fill up your truck four or five times a week, those increases can add up pretty quickly," said Picard. "And when you're talking about a company that has 500 trucks, it's millions of dollars."

No change to gas prices

The price of diesel is cheapest in Zone 1, and can be about two cents a litre higher in other parts of the province.

The price of gas did not change overnight.