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Gas Is Still $1.81 a Litre: Why Pump Prices Won't Fall (and What to Do Before Winter)

  Canadians hoping for relief at the pump got bad news heading into this week: it isn't coming soon. The national average for regular gas was $1.81 a litre on Friday, according to Kalibrate, with provincial averages ranging from $1.557 in Alberta to $2.156 in Newfoundland, per GasBuddy. That's after a big policy move. On Friday the G7 announced plans to release 100 million barrels of oil right away, starting with diesel. Brent crude dipped on the news, then climbed back to about US$102 a barrel by the afternoon. Don't expect the release to show up at your station, because crude is only half the story. Crude oil explains only half your pump price Wood Mackenzie's Jim Mitchell says crude makes up 50 to 60 per cent of the retail price of gas. The rest is the cost of refining it, and that's where the squeeze is. Bank of Canada Governor Tiff Macklem pointed to damaged refining capacity worldwide in a Sept. 21 speech, noting that pump prices reflect crude roughly US$40 a ...
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Mastering the Roll Up the Rim: Tim Hortons Contest Guru's Winning Formula

 

In just a few days, Tim Hortons will kick off its 2025 edition of the beloved Roll Up the Rim to Win contest. This year, the contest returns to its roots with physical cups, offering customers a chance to win prizes by rolling up the rim of their coffee cups. For the past few years, the contest was held virtually, but the return of the physical cups has reignited the interest of Michael Wallace, a statistics professor at the University of Waterloo and a self-proclaimed Roll Up the Rim champion.

Wallace first gained fame in 2020 when he discovered that the best time to play the contest was on the last day. By waiting until the final day, he managed to win 94 out of 96 plays, an impressive 98% success rate. This feat caught the attention of Tim Hortons, who initially suspected foul play but later understood Wallace's statistical prowess.

Using data provided by Tim Hortons' app, Wallace developed a formula to determine the optimal time to play. He found that the best time to play was at 3:17 a.m. Eastern, while the worst time was 11:45 a.m. Eastern, when many people were playing during lunch in Ontario and breakfast in British Columbia.

After taking a break from the contest last year, Wallace is back in the game, eager to test his theories with the return of the physical cups. He advises players to bring a reusable mug to get two digital chances to win, as the physical cup offers only a one-in-six chance of winning.

Wallace's theories hinge on whether the old rules remain in play, but he believes that playing during off-hours will increase the odds of winning. He also suggests avoiding the time he publicized years ago, as it may no longer be the optimal time to play.

With the return of the physical cups, Tim Hortons is offering two chances to win — one with the cup and one in the digital space. Wallace believes that as long as there are physical cups in play, players will have a better chance of winning digitally, as the number of entries will be split between digital and physical.

So, if you're looking to increase your odds of winning in this year's Roll Up the Rim to Win contest, consider playing during off-hours and using a reusable mug for extra digital chances. Happy rolling!



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