Diesel prices fall in Nova Scotia and Ontario, grocery costs stay high

Diesel prices fall in Nova Scotia

The Nova Scotia Energy Board decreased the price of gas 9.9 cents to 171.7 per litre, a low not seen since August. Diesel prices also decreased, now hovering around 248.2 cents per litre, a 5.3 cent decrease.

Diesel prices fall in Ontario

In the Greater Toronto Area, diesel fell 11 cents to 235.9 cents a litre, a level not seen since early September, according to Dan McTeague of Canadians for Affordable Energy, an advocacy group focused on fuel costs.

Grocery costs remain high

Food researchers say cheaper diesel will not quickly lower grocery bills. Sylvain Charlebois, a food researcher and professor at Dalhousie University, told CTV News that the food being hauled to stores today is moving based on contracts signed months ago. Fuel prices, he said, "need to remain low for a while" before shoppers see the benefit.

Michael Mulvey, a marketing professor at the University of Ottawa, made a similar point to The Canadian Press back in October: many transportation contracts are set months in advance, and prices that rise with costs often take longer to come back down.

Why it matters

• Diesel prices fell in Nova Scotia and the Greater Toronto Area in early November.
• Grocery prices are unlikely to fall quickly because transportation contracts are set months in advance.
• Fuel prices need to remain low for a while before shoppers see the benefit, according to researchers.

Sources

• halifax.citynews.ca: Gas prices down in Nova Scotia
• ca.finance.yahoo.com: Diesel prices fell up to 13 cents across Canada, but grocery bills won't follow anytime soon — here's why

This article was drafted with AI assistance and checked against the sources above. Company claims are reported as claims. Cover image is AI-generated.