Quebecers feeling the pain at the pump

Gas prices have skyrocketed to record highs in Quebec and around the country, something experts say is directly linked to Ukraine being invaded by Russia, a country which accounts for roughly 10 per cent of global oil production.

Montreal, which adds a tax to the cost of gas in the city, saw prices as high as $1.87/litre by the end of the week. In the Eastern Townships it was cheaper, at $1.67, while Quebec City and the North Shore were around $1.84.

"There's no question that instability in the world oil supply has an impact on what we see at the pumps," George Iny, executive director of the Automobile Protection Association (APA), told CBC Friday.

"And right now the price of oil is over $100 a barrel."

The jump in price is affecting everyday Quebecers in different ways. For people like Issa Gammoh, manager of operations for Goodfood in Quebec City, the logistical challenge of delivering meal boxes to around 3,000 clients every week is compounded by the cost of gas.

"We try to accommodate the needs of the drivers," he told Quebec AM guest host Peter Tardif.

"Some say, 'the change doesn't suit me' and they end up leaving. It has definitely changed our operations in the past few weeks and I hear the prices are going up still."

For people who live in more remote parts of the province — where there's little to no public transportation — commuting or driving to pick up essentials or visit family and friends has gotten a lot more expensive.

Marie-Claude Brière, the executive director of the Centre de commerce de la Côte de Gaspé, says people in the Gaspé rely heavily on their vehicles.

"Sometimes it's 100 kilometres to go to work every morning and night. People in the health system … teachers sometimes, they have to go to other villages," she said.

"It's the same for Abitibi, the same for [the North Shore]. We live in a big territory without a lot of people so we can't have the same services as in the urban centres."

Watch | Record-breaking gas prices across Canada could keep climbing, experts warn:

The APA believes the price of oil will eventually drop. But Iny says a gradual upward trend is likely to continue because there's less oil exploration happening and the transition to renewable energy hasn't reached the point to where it's having a significant impact on consumption.

"Over the next 10 years there's certainly a volatility … [and] in Quebec, the government is taxing fuel higher every year with the view of getting us out of carbon," he said.