Our system is quite similar to yours - the gov't does not set the price of gas, as the oil companies here are in fact privately owned.

From the website of the Ministry of Natural Resources (Canadian breakdown [2005]):



From the DoE's website (American breakdown):



Not the same, but not entirely dissimilar (in terms of percentages). Canadians on average pay more for gas than our southern friends, but (from the images above) you can see that is because a larger percentage of the take at the pumps is due to taxes:

Again from the Ministry of Natural Resources (2007 data this time):



You might be surprised to know that Canada is the #1 exporter of crude oil to the USA. fun fact of the day.

<edit> Anybody wondering why gov't (and this applies to Canada too) isn't going to get tough with big oil any time soon should refer to the following links:

http://www.opensecrets.org/industries/indus.php?ind=E01
http://redgreenandblue.org/2008/08/2...in-washington/

The Oil lobby is way too powerful and spends way too much money... And contributes way too much money to political campaigns. That's why it makes change tough, no matter who is in power - Big Oil has deep pockets

 

PirateX, that's interesting comparative information.

-Why is the cost of refining crude oil at least 3X more in Canada than in the U.S.?

-It's also unclear to me from your text whether Canada exports crude oil to the U.S. or rather imports it from the U.S. Do you know whether Canada imports any gasoline from the U.S.? If not, then the government's explanation for increased gasoline prices seems untruthful and without justification.

 

Well i can't say with full certainty but i believe that we give the US more oil then they give us, Alberta oil sands sound familiar anyone?

 

Ron, I'll look into the refining situation... Need to do a bit more research there, but I suspect that some of Canada's oil might be brought to the USA to be refined and then brought back...

I mis-typed... Fixed now, but Canada is the largest exporter of crude oil to America (reference: http://www.eia.doe.gov/pub/oil_gas/p...nt/import.html.)

Canada may import some gasoline from the USA, but it appears that the majority of our imported crude oil actually comes from North Sea Countries (I think I read somewhere that Norway accounts for the largest percentage) and the Middle East.

Good read: http://www.statcan.ca/Daily/English/060911/d060911b.htm

Shame I can't find more recent data - everything seems to be from 2005...

 

its 3.68 midgrade with 10% ethanol out here

 

Lucky. Is this possibly the lowest gasoline price in the USA?

 

[QUOTE=PirateX;589395]Ron, I'll look into the refining situation... Need to do a bit more research there, but I suspect that some of Canada's oil might be brought to the USA to be refined and then brought back...

I mis-typed... Fixed now, but Canada is the largest exporter of crude oil to America
\
That is exactly what their doing with the oil from Canada, there are pipelines that run from Edmonton/Calgary Alberta that get their oil product from Fort McMurray and it is sent downto those refineries in texas and other states to be refined, then yes it is piped back here quite a bit of it actually

 

[quote=megafandrew;590261]If correct, then this information provides a reasonable and justifiable explanation for the recent hike in gasoline prices in Canada due to the effects of Ike on Texas refineries.

 

also explain why the main distribution center for most of bc not including the coast pays the most for the crappiest gas @149.9 for 83
also did anyone else find it odd that mandatory prepaying a the pump was instated 2 weeks before the jacked up the price 20 cents?

 

i can't explain this first question but the mandatory prepaying a the pump has been going on in parts of the united states for a year or so. cause the gas stations are having to many drive offs (people getting gas and not paying for it)