Your gas bill might go down, seriously
Morning from the Gateway — here's what's moving in The Pas. You know how much we talk about the cost of living up here, especially with the price of everything coming in on the trucks, or the planes when the roads aren't good? Well, Premier Kinew is actually talking about cutting the provincial fuel tax. Seriously, it's not just talk in the legislature; he brought it up, which is pretty wild considering how much that tax brings in for the province.
It really caught my attention because for us up here, fuel isn't just about driving to work in town or heading over to OCN. It's about getting supplies in, running generators out on the traplines, and even just getting our kids to hockey practice at the Roy H. Johnston Arena. The cost of fuel directly impacts everything from groceries at the local Extra Foods to the timber coming out of the Tolko mill. A cut, even a small one, could ripple through our local economy in a big way.
### What This Means for The Pas
* **Less at the Pump:** While it's not a done deal, any reduction would be immediately felt by every driver, from those heading down the Flin Flon Highway to those just making trips along Fischer Avenue. * **Impact on Local Businesses:** Think about how many businesses rely on transport—the fishing lodges at Clearwater Lake, the outfitters, even the delivery services. Lower fuel costs could mean lower operating costs, potentially passing savings on to us. * **A Shift in Provincial Priorities:** For a government to even *consider* cutting a reliable revenue stream like a fuel tax, it shows they're really feeling the pressure from folks across the province about affordability.
This isn't just some abstract policy discussion for us. This is about whether it costs more or less to fill up your truck before you head out on the winter road network, or whether that delivery of much-needed parts for the UCN campus costs less. It's real money for real people in The Pas and Opaskwayak Cree Nation.
Morning from the Gateway — here's what's moving in The Pas. The crew on the morning show dive deeper into this and what it means for your wallet; catch it live at mornings.live.