Nelson Sergerie, LJI Journalist

GASPÉ – The Gaspé and Sainte-Anne-des-Monts regions continue to rank among the areas with the highest gasoline prices in Quebec.

On July 16, regular gas was selling for $1.574 per litre at retailers in both locations.
The disparity is increasingly difficult to understand. Just 100 kilometres away in Chandler, the price dropped by 8 cents on July 15, landing at $1.494 per litre.

Elsewhere in the Baie-des-Chaleurs region, prices ranged from $1.49 to $1.52 depending on the municipality. However, the Petro-Canada station in Paspébiac attempted to raise its price to $1.574 in the middle of the afternoon on July 16.

According to data from the Régie de l’énergie, a litre priced at $1.49 aligns with the average annual profit margin of 11 cents per litre in the Rocher-Percé MRC. In Chandler, the board sets the cost price for retailers at $1.36.

In Gaspé, based on the same data, the profit margin stood at 18.4 cents, significantly above last year’s average of 12.8 cents.

Taking this into account, the price of gasoline in Gaspé should be closer to $1.52, as it is elsewhere in the region.

A report published by the board in February 2024 noted that, in 2023, the majority of independent retailers in Gaspé applied higher retail margins than those in any other region of Quebec. Two years later, it appears the situation remains unchanged.

If fair pricing were applied, the price per litre in Gaspé would be comparable to the $1.51 set several weeks ago in the Matane and Rimouski regions.

As of July 16, the board listed the wholesale purchase price at $1.356 in Gaspé and $1.341 in Baie-des-Chaleurs.

At $1.574, Gaspé trails only Nord-du-Québec and Îles-de-la-Madeleine, two regions with unique pricing structures due to their remote locations.

By comparison, gasoline was also selling for $1.57 per litre in Montreal on July 16. However, prices in the greater Montreal area are affected by higher taxes from the Agence métropolitaine de transport (AMT), which funds public transit.