Gas prices have jumped up in Saskatchewan in the last 24 hours.  

As of Thursday morning, the average price in Moose Jaw has jumped 10 cents per litre since yesterday, with prices up 15 cents compared to last month’s average of 134.9 cents. 

The average price in Moose Jaw today is 149.9 cents per litre, which is comparable to this time last year, when that number was 147.9 cents per litre.  

Patrick De Haan, petroleum analyst with Gas Buddy, said this is primarily due to normal seasonal factors. “This is happening as we’ve now made the first step in the transition to summer gasoline.” 

“With it, we still have the pressures of rising demand as temperatures warm up – also the pressures of that changeover to summer gasoline, which is more costly, and refineries that are undergoing maintenance in many instances.” 

He added that a power outage at the largest refinery in the US Midwest that took place at the beginning of February is still impacting the refinery, and with that, gas prices in the Prairies.  

De Haan said that we will likely see prices between 155 to 165 cents per litre before they stop rising, with the end of seasonal increases not expected for a couple of months. “Typically, we see prices plateau in April or May after the summer transition is over and as refineries finish their maintenance.”