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I never thought I’d say this, but I long for the days when gas was $1.90.

In Squamish, we know the trials and tribulations that come with high gas prices all too well.

For a while, some residents were outside with pickets, protesting how our prices were higher relative to the Lower Mainland.

This was not too long ago.

Eventually, the province, after hearing the complaints from locals and others across СÀ¶ÊÓƵ, launched an investigation into unfair gas pricing.

The end result was a determination that Squamish was one of the places paying higher than average prices at the pump.

Gas prices, however, continue to be a problem.

While we are now occasionally in the relatively new — but justified — position of having to pay less at the pump than our friends in Vancouver, the rates have reached a back-breaking point.

As of this writing, prices in town average at around $2.20 a litre. In the city, that number is roughly between $2.25 and $2.30.

I drive a RAV4, and for a while, $20 could fill roughly a quarter tank — enough to go to the city and back. But now, $20 gets me a handful of short trips around town. I shudder to think how that would play out for one of the many people here who have to make a daily commute outside of town for work.

This is not a sustainable mode of living.

And yes, we should be driving our vehicles less because of the climate emergency, and, yes, we should be switching to electric vehicles, but this is a serious problem right now.

We are a rural community with spotty bus service at the best of times and no bus service right now, thanks to the ongoing strike. There are few options for daily commuters whose lives don’t perfectly match the timing of the .

Might I ask the province, at least until we get a proper public transit system, to perhaps extend some sort of tax subsidy on gas prices to Squamish and other rural areas that are entirely dependent on the car?

I suppose there are some who say that selling off our fossil fuel cars and getting EVs immediately is the answer.

However, there is a shortage of EVs and an order can take months to come. In the meantime, fossil fuel cars are what we’re stuck with.

Furthermore, from an environmental standpoint, if you sell your fossil fuel car, its next owner will be driving that car and spewing out fumes anyway.

The only way to guarantee that your fossil fuel vehicle doesn’t emit any more carbon is to junk it with However, many people looking for a used vehicle will have probably realized the used car market is hot right now.

Owners have a good chance of making good coin by selling their vehicles instead. Will they be willing to give up that extra dough in economically hard times?

In the meantime, here’s to hoping the province can perhaps extend us a wee gas price subsidy, at least until we have a reliable transit system.