enduser1 said:
One thing I don't get is that Canada is an oil exporter. Why do we pay more for gas than the USA, an oil importer?
Actually, under NAFTA Canada can only reduce energy exports buy a certain % per year... Technically we'd be violating the agreement if we turtled up to protect domestic supply-- plus our exporters would lose a fortune... Good for the parts of Canada that have large energy reserves, not so good for the GTA.
That being said, our gas taxes are higher than in the States, but that's kind of a good thing, even though it stings. Up until the most recent surge in domestic fuel prices the tax revenue generated by 'drivers' wasn't covering 100% of the cost of driving*... Yeah, that tax hits hard if you drive a car, but it sucks even more when people who don't own vehicles are forced to subsidize your driving. The basic principal here is that the social / environmental / economic cost of an activity should be paid by the people who engage in that activity (when the activity is necessary and they have the means to do so)
And yes, it really does suck to drive right now!
* I have no actual figures to say that the inflated gas price does currently internalize the cost of driving to drivers, but I suspect it is so, as the 'costs' that these taxes are paying for are somewhat more fixed. Also, you car / truck drivers are subsidizing the costs of transport drivers (AKA they do exponentially more damage to infrastructure)- but you could argue that this subsidy at least helps keep the cost consumer goods down...