The pain at the pump continues as gas prices reached record levels on Saturday around the major cities in Ontario and Quebec.
gas prices hit 215.9 cents per litre on Saturday in the Greater Toronto Area as well as Ottawa, while a litre in gas in Montreal and Quebec City cost 224.9 cents.
Earla Phillips, who drives for Uber and Lyft in Toronto, says she used to be able to fill up her tank for around $60. Now, she says that same amount of gas costs her $100.
"It's been difficult for drivers. We have to absorb these cost increase. There's really no support coming from these companies," Phillips told CTV News Channel on Saturday.
"I've talked with many drivers who have stopped driving. Many other drivers are reducing the amount of time they spend on the road, myself included. And there are definitely drivers who are thinking about just stopping doing this at all," she added.
For those who can afford it, electric vehicles are becoming a more and more appealing option. Max Maurice, an electric vehicle salesperson at Shift Electric Vehicles in Oakville, Ont. says demand is so high and wait times are so long, even used EV cars are fetching a higher prices than new models.
"If you’re in real estate or an Uber driver, you’re literally putting $1,000 a month in gas on top of your car payments. If you look at a Tesla, you still might be around $900 (in car payments) monthly, but that’s it," he told CTV News.
Earlier this week, gas price also hit all-time highs in , , , and .
Some relief is expected on Sunday, with a expected in Montreal, Quebec City, Ottawa, Toronto and other cities in Ontario.
Ontario is also set to starting July 1. Other prices in B.C., Alberta and Newfoundland and Labrador have already made similar moves.
Dan McTeague, founder of Gaswizard.ca, wants to see the federal government take similar action, saying the federal tax of five cents a litre on top of a carbon tax is too much.
"I think all these provinces recognize there’s hardship and people are feeling it. The federal government is the one that remains not only silent, but contributed mightily to the increase in cost," he told CTV News.
