High Gas Prices Push Alberta Families to Rethink Summer Plans

The Strait of Hormuz shipping blockade has turned Alberta gas pumps into a daily reminder of global energy shock. In Lethbridge, prices have climbed 45 percent year-over-year, averaging over $1.80 per litre in May.

Melaney Lietz, a mother of two, watches the numbers climb as she fills her minivan. A tank that used to cost $50 now approaches $70—and she's not even topping off. "(We're) paying the price at the pumps just to get to work to pay the taxes on everything else," she said.

The family vacation that was supposed to happen this summer is shifting. "We're not going camping this year, because our truck, it usually costs us a good $500 at least," Lietz said. "I can't even imagine what's going to cost us to pull the trailer this year."

The impact stretches beyond road trips. A TD survey found one-third of Canadians plan to spend less this summer, with an even larger share cutting back on travel due to fuel costs. Alberta results mirrored the national trend.

At Gas King Oil Co. Ltd.'s busy Lethbridge location, assistant manager Steve Ouellet has noticed subtle shifts in customer behavior. "I don't think they're filling up as much as they were," he said. Some appear to be waiting for payday before loading their tanks. Convenience store purchases are down too—discretionary spending is tightening.

Kelly Klimchuck, Gas King's district sales manager, said customers are near a tipping point. "When fuel can change overnight by five or eight or 10 per cent for no significant local reason, there's concern expressed by customers."

For young entrepreneurs Brooklyn and Jordan Lamb, who deliver baked goods around town, fuel costs now run nearly $200 per tank. "If we saw over two bucks per litre, it'd be heartbreaking," Jordan said. Their baking business—Hey Dough Cookie Co.—helps keep the family afloat, but margin pressure is real.

Everything tied to diesel feels the weight: groceries, delivery, logistics. The shock isn't over; it's just spreading.