Vancouver has highest fuel prices and highest fuel tax in North America, expert says [Video]

The biggest and most obvious effect of the carbon price increase on Monday is at the gas pumps.

Prices in Metro Vancouver rose to $201.9 a litre on average Monday morning, with the carbon tax increase accounting for about three cents of that jump.

Dan McTeague, with Canadians for Affordable Energy, said about 82 cents of that price is federal and provincial taxes.

“All of those factors combined lead … Vancouver to having the distinction of not only being the highest prices for fuel anywhere in North America, but also the highest-taxed jurisdiction for fuel,” he said.

B.C. Minister of Environment and Climate Change Strategy George Heyman said the government knows residents are struggling and that’s why they are introducing the BC Hydro credit and investing in housing.

“We’ve lowered ICBC rates, we’ve eliminated medical services plans premiums, we’ve dropped personal income taxes by $3,000 a year for a family of four earning $100,000,” Heyman said.

However, he added, they know …