Near-record gas prices in Winnipeg affect lower-income families disproportionately
CBC
When gas prices jumped to more than $1.40 per litre in parts of Winnipeg, Jennifer Spence's heart sank.
The family support worker and mother of two young children drives a lot for work and can't afford to fill up until next Friday.
"I see everything going up, but my wage stays the same, so I have to make it work. I have to stretch it to make it work and I know other people do too," she said.
Spence last spent about $80 to fill her tank and anticipates it will be close to $100 to fill it now that prices have risen so sharply as Manitoba sees near-record highs of the average gas prices.
The highest recorded average of fuel prices in Manitoba was set in 2008 when it was 142 cents per litre, according to GasBuddy data. The average recorded in Manitoba at 5 p.m. on Wednesday was 140 cents.
Some gas stations are 142.9 per litre, up by 11 cents from earlier in the week.
"That's a lot of money. That's groceries for the week," Spence said.