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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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Quebec’s Groundhog Fred Signals an Early Spring

 

Shubenacadie Sam exits her burrow at a Groundhog Day event at the Shubenacadie Wildlife Park in Nova Scotia on Sunday, Feb. 2, 2025. Sam saw her shadow and predicts six more weeks of winter. 


Quebec’s beloved weather‑predicting groundhog, Fred la Marmotte, delivered welcome news this morning after emerging from his burrow and not seeing his shadow—an outcome traditionally interpreted as a sign that spring will arrive ahead of schedule.

The annual Groundhog Day event in Val-d’Espoir drew crowds despite chilly temperatures, with spectators eager to hear Fred’s forecast. According to folklore, a shadowless emergence means winter’s grip is loosening, offering hope for milder days sooner than expected. Local organizers celebrated the prediction, noting that Fred’s early‑spring call has become a cherished tradition for families across the province.

While meteorologists remind Canadians that groundhog predictions are more symbolic than scientific, the ritual remains a joyful midwinter moment—one that gives people a reason to smile as they look forward to brighter, warmer days.


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