Why do gasoline prices differ across Canada? | Page 2 | General financial discussion | Discussion forum

You're right on about London, the good jobs are now in the public sector (university, college, hospitals, teachers, police & fire, municipal and government workers, etc) because pay is same as GTA but house prices about a third (or even less) of what GTA would cost. So living here is a dream compared to GTA, it's why I moved here as a youth, and why the economy here is also stimulated more and more it seems by GTA-ers retiring here (I'm not encouraging it!). But the good paying private sector jobs have largely left (as in much of Canada's non-Greater Metropolitan areas) and as London folks and its politicians are generally Unifor and other unions-friendly business is not very interested in coming here. So gas prices are usually lower. (But the Port Stanley to St Thomas railway runs again during the summer tourist season!)

I agree, AltaRed. Except your last sentence is a bit contradictory to me, as it seems to say that we want alternative fuels as long as our friends and neighbours (i.e. someone else, via tax policy) help us pay the bulk of the higher cost. If we really wanted alternative fuels we'd buy them and the related vehicles and abandon carbon-based, end of story, no incentives or "penalties" (carbon tax) needed. But in fact we only want them if they cost us just a bit more, otherwise we're fine with carbon, thanks.

Bill said
I agree, AltaRed. Except your last sentence is a bit contradictory to me, as it seems to say that we want alternative fuels as long as our friends and neighbours (i.e. someone else, via tax policy) help us pay the bulk of the higher cost. If we really wanted alternative fuels we'd buy them and the related vehicles and abandon carbon-based, end of story, no incentives or "penalties" (carbon tax) needed. But in fact we only want them if they cost us just a bit more, otherwise we're fine with carbon, thanks.  

The vast majority of society will only go Green when the hydrocarbon alternative (status quo) costs more. To get enough of society to move to alternative fuels, it will thus take tax policy to provide the 'boots' to kick people in that direction. It isn't going to happen just because of conscience. And there are vast situations in our society where alt fuels are not viable in any case (remote locations, heavy construction, petrochemicals, jet fuel, pleasure boating, ATVing and a host of others).

We're delving into 'tasmanian devil' emotion territory with mention of global warming and the hypocrisy of so many of the advocates. Time for me to shut up.

Bill, the politicians etc are not talking about the temp going down because of going off carbons because, as I understand it, they are not going to go down. The damage is done. It's only a question of how much more they are going to go UP if we don't do enough to stop the trend. Any amount of "up" is dangerous as we're already into brinksmanship.

The age of self-indulgence "just because I can" ought to be over. We should probably be rationing how much discretionary fuel use people use, but that would surely result in a howl heard round the world, so none of them have the guts to do it. Stuffing up downtown arteries with bike lanes isn't gonna do it, and doesn't take into account the needs of the elderly and disabled. The only thing I agreed with Rob Ford on was the need for more subways, not the shorter-term LRTs, but for subways you must have funding help from other levels of government, who are using it to prop up Bombardier, the slowpoke producer of subway cars and airplanes.

There are few things that irk me more than those darned Snowbirds in the air every year. Not only do they use old planes which have often had problems, putting people at risk, and not only do they engage in daredevil manoeuvres, but they use up vast amounts of fuel and pollute the air, which only detracts from our well being. We are not supposed to criticize because we are supposed to be proud - of this?? They need to find a worthwhile hobby or some good volunteer work like building houses for Habitat for Humanity or tutoring. It's things like this that make me realize none of our governments are terribly serious about fuel conservation, environmental sustainability or climate change. If they were, they would have banned this years ago.

We are long overdue for a major re-think of our way of life. It is amazing to me how little of that has really happened. If something is not contributing to meeting the standard of the Paris accord or better, then its time to consider getting rid of it. This is a much bigger issue than light bulbs and power bars. It might mean sailing rather than power boats. Take up swimming and diving in stead of water skiing. Wash your own dishes. Ban RVs. And so on. People don't like to hear these things, especially when it hits close to home. And no government has the guts to do it. We're all living in dreamland. One day, you will have no choices left if we continue on our present course. I'll probably be gone by then anyway, but it will be tough on the nieces and nephews.