The price of a liter of gasoline varies enormously from one gas station to another in Quebec.

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Friday morning, there was a difference of more than $0.10 in the various neighborhoods of the city. In the Beauport sector, gasoline was still selling for $1.49 per liter at certain retailers, while on Laurier and Wilfrid-Hamel boulevards, in particular, the posted price was more like $1.61. The Costco on rue Bouvier, in the Lebourgneuf sector, posted the lowest price, with $1.45 per litre.

The average price is therefore $1.59 in the Capitale-Nationale, while the realistic price at the pump according to CAA-Quebec is $1.56.

According to professor in the department of decision sciences at HEC Montréal Pierre-Olivier Pineau, prices remain high because customers are always there.

“Crude oil prices have been on the decline for the past few weeks, so we should see a drop in prices, but we are seeing that gas stations are keeping prices high and motorists are continuing to drive through them, so this is not the case. isn't really an incentive for gas stations to lower their prices. They try it out, make money and keep prices high. »

The one who also holds the chair of management of the energy sector believes that Quebec motorists would benefit from shopping more for their gasoline.

“It is certain that if consumers shopped a little more, moved around, that has disadvantages, but yes, it would show that there is more flexibility in demand and therefore it would create conditions where prices could drop. It is truly because gas stations see that they can charge a high price that they continue to charge a high price. Because for many motorists the effort of shopping is not worth it. »

Another power in the hands of citizens: the choice when buying a car, while the trend in Quebec is for bigger and bigger vehicles.

“The gas stations know that we are a little bit chained to individual vehicles that consume gasoline, so they take advantage of the fact that consumers are very inflexible in their consumption,” recalled Mr. Pineau.

-With information from José Laganière, TVA Nouvelles