Gas shortage in Nova Scotia getting 'pretty desperate'
While the gas pumps are flowing in parts of Nova Scotia, some owners are still waiting for fuel delivery days into a provincial shortage.
A late delivery of gasoline to the Imperial Oil terminal in Dartmouth has caused many filling stations across the province to run out of fuel.
Trucks have been driving in and out of the distribution terminal since 8 a.m. on Monday, but at least one rural station is still dry.
Kerry Muise runs DK Muise Motors, an independant Shell gas station in Yarmouth.
She ran out of regular gas Saturday morning and says her last delivery was the Tuesday before.
"Today is nine days with no delivery, so we're pretty desperate," she told CBC's Maritime Noon.
"It's hard, I mean last week we sold all our gas at a loss because the price decreased and then this week we have no gas at all," she said.
Muise says her phone is ringing off the hook with people looking for gasoline.
"We're the only full-service gas station in the area, so we pump people's gas and we service a lot of people who are elderly, disabled and a lot of other places aren't as accessible for them," she said.
Could be waiting another two days
Muise said another Shell station three kilometres away received a 20,000-litre delivery while her station sits empty.
"The bigger stations all seem to have gotten gas and I'm not quite sure why the load wouldn't be split. Even if we get 5,000 litres as opposed to our normal 15,000 to 20,000 litres, that would be a real help to some of our customers."
Muise said she's being told she might get a delivery Wednesday or Thursday.
Some stations in Halifax reported getting a delivery on Monday, but quickly running out.
Bill Simpkins, with the Atlantic division of the Canadian Fuels Association in Halifax, urged against stockpiling gas.
"I think the overall issue for people to keep in mind is that just like any business, just like stocking shelves in grocery stores, is it's a just-in-time operation. You're not going to fill your shelves at home with butter for a year or cereal," he said.
"If everybody went up to top up their car at the same time you would have run outs. The system is just not designed for that."
He said the combination of a drop in price and the shortage is a "self-fulfilling issue."
"You will drain the tanks," he said.
Stranded drivers
While gas stations worry about their deliveries, the Canadian Automobile Association has been busy helping people who couldn't even make it to the pump.
CAA spokeswoman Claire Ryan says they've seen a 700 per cent increase in fuel-related calls from Aug. 28-Aug. 31, 2014 to this year.
"Now mind you we've gotten 28 calls so far but at this time last year our fuel calls were only four, so a pretty big jump," she said.
Ryan said she hasn't seen something like this before.
"Especially where this was something that was really unexpected, we're always reminding members that it is best to try and keep their fuel levels topped up just in case of any circumstance. Typically we think it's weather related but this is a good example of why it's just always best to be prepared.
The province's RCMP say they're monitoring the situation but so far their fleet is unaffected by the shortage.
The city says its fleet is also fine since most buses and fire trucks run on diesel.
No government intervention
Nova Scotia's Business Minister Mark Furey says he "understands" frustration shared by Nova Scotians at being inconvenienced by ongoing shortages of gasoline that began on Saturday and continue in some parts of the province.
But Furey says his government doesn't plan to introduce regulations to prevent future runouts.
"The province has no role in managing the supply of fuel, that's the responsibility of industry," he said.
Muise disagrees.
"The biggest mistake ever made was letting the refinery close because we're so vulnerable now. Without those tanker deliveries into Halifax, look what happens. Our whole province can be shut down in two days," she said.
"So to me it's a crucial thing that the government should definitely be involved in."
