Ontario drivers to see 10-cent drop in gas prices after recent spike

Drivers across Ontario will see a noticeable relief at the pumps on Thursday with a 10-cent drop due to the summer to winter gas blend switch, according to a gas analyst.

Drivers across Ontario will see noticeable relief at the pumps on Thursday with a 10-cent drop due to the summer-to-winter gas blend switch, according to a gas analyst.

Dan McTeague, president of Canadians for Affordable Energy, is urging drivers to wait until Thursday to fill up their tanks where its expected Ontarians will see the price for a litre of gas fall to 133.9 cents a litre — ten cents cheaper than 143.9 cents a litre on Wednesday.

When it comes to how much money drivers will be saving at the pumps, McTeague said around $6 or $7 for most of them who are pumping in 50 to 60 litres of gas.

This is due to gas stations switching from the summer to winter blends. The switch happens twice a year, once mid-April and the other in mid-September.

“It cost more for refiners to make summer-grade gasoline, mostly to prevent gasoline from evaporating in higher temperatures,” McTeague said. “Gasoline is very volatile, so they have to put additives in the fuel to make it more resistant to evaporation, and it’s called alkylates.”

“In the winter, they don’t have to use alkylates as much. They can use a butane, which is a very cheap by-product … It’s butane in the winter, alkylates in the summer and the difference in price between the two is pretty substantial.”

McTeague also recommends drivers in major cities such as Toronto, Ottawa, London and Hamilton fill up after “supper time” to maximize on savings.

“I never buy my gasoline in the mornings or afternoons … 6 p.m. to midnight is the best time to go and visit your gas station,” he said.