Point Robert gas station owners notifying Canadians cheaper fuel available across border

If you’re looking for cheaper fuel, Point Roberts gas station owners are desperately trying to get the attention of Canadians.

As Greater Vancouver gas prices hit around 2.11 a litre — and counting — Pinder Kallu, who owns a Shell station in Point Roberts, says there is a 40 to 50 cent difference on regular per litre. Point Roberts is a Washington state town that’s only accessible by land through Canada. 

Business has already been booming for Kallu, who notes a COVID-19 test isn’t required to get back home after filling up although filling out the ArriveCAN app is. 

“The border agents are very lenient because they know this is very secluded area. No one’s really going to go nowhere … and they know Canadians really come here for the dairy, the parcels, and they come here for gas obviously,” Kallu said. 

“That being said, at my station, when you fill 10 gallons or more, I give you 30 per cent off all parcels. So I kind of make it a one-stop shop.”

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While there’s no limit on how much fuel you can bring back into Canada, anything not in your tank must be in approved containers and you could be charged a duty.

One Point Roberts resident even spotted a man dangerously filling actual buckets full of gas at a local station. 

Photos from this week in Point Roberts (Credit: Kelly Joy Austin)

Meanwhile, the Surrey Board of Trade is now calling on B.C. to halt its carbon tax, which currently costs Metro Vancouver drivers an additional 18.5 cents per litre, which goes to TransLink to help pay for local transit.

“We know that global circumstances are very challenging right now but the bottom line corrosion for businesses right now is simply unacceptable. What we want the B.C. government to do is commit to at least a review of all the taxes in B.C.,” Anita Huberman, President & CEO of the Surrey Board of Trade, said.

A statement from the board calls on John Horgan’s NDP government to follow Alberta’s lead and pause the carbon and other taxes that add as much as 73 cents to the cost of each litre of gas pumped in Metro Vancouver.

But Werner Antweiler with UBC’s Sauder School of Business says he feels strongly that pausing or scrapping the carbon tax would be the wrong move.

“It’s putting a price on pollution and helping us transition away from fossil fuels, giving up this revenue makes no sense we need to focus on transitioning away from fossil fuels, so we are not more dependent on them,” Antweiler said.

Other experts say the circumstances are still too unpredictable to know when we might see some relief at the pumps.

Huberman says B.C.’s gas levies, in addition to complications from the pandemic and hikes in the cost of living and price of goods, are further burdens on the business community.

Earlier this week, Public Safety Minister Mike Farnworth said gas prices are driven by events outside of provincial control, such as the Russian invasion of Ukraine, which has upset energy markets around the world.

– With files from The Canadian Press