Some Albertans are going the extra mile to save money at the gas pump | Globalnews.ca

Many Alberta drivers dread when their gas tank runs out these days as the price of gas is higher than ever.

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But there are some bargains to be discovered, and that leaves some weary drivers wondering why they can pay so much less by venturing out of town.

The Smoky Lake Centex gas station offered gasoline for $1.70 per liter on Tuesday. A significant savings when compared to pump prices in the city of Edmonton, which range from $1.86 to $1.88 per liter.

Smoky Lake Centex owner Didi Taylor said people call her every day looking for a deal.

“I get phone calls from people asking me what the price is for diesel or regular in a day and … they say, ‘Oh, that’s good, I’m coming,’” Taylor said.

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Taylor added that she lowers her price to be fair to customers in hopes that they will spend the money they saved inside her store.

“I’m not entirely sure why other gas stations charge what they do. When I get a tanker truck full of gas, I get a notification of what I’m paying for that gas and I mark my gas accordingly,” Taylor said. “I have no say in what I am paying for. I have full word on my price at the pump.

“I can put my prices on whatever I want.”

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While some drivers might question why other stations are more expensive, Concordia University economist Moshe Lander said there’s no conspiracy.

“There is no price gouging that could be going on because the only way it could exist would be with collusion, and if collusion was ever discovered, the fines that would come would be so substantial,” Lander said.

Lander added that there are many possible reasons for the difference in gasoline costs between rural Alberta and big cities.

“It could be something as simple as rural towns being engaged in a price war at this particular time,” Lander said. “That $10 to $15 could be spent at the local grocery store, it could be spent at local restaurants, and those kinds of things could be a great way to boost tourism.”

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Lander also believes that places like Esso or Petro Canada assume drivers won’t go the extra mile.

“Maybe they’re hoping no one is willing to drive to rural Alberta to save $10 to $15 on a 100-liter tank,” Lander said.

Some drivers have also found cheaper places in the city. On Tuesday, The Spot in Forest Heights had regular gas listed at $1.76 a liter.

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