Oil refiners hit by ‘the perfect storm’

Canada sits on the second largest oil reserves in the world, but that’s cold comfort for drivers running on empty and paying a buck a litre — if they could get it

Canada may boast of oil reserves second only to Saudi Arabia, but a “perfect storm” of refining problems has forced gas stations to close this week in both Quebec and Ontario and showed how precarious the day-to-day supply really is.

Shortages pushed prices up and sparked calls from some federal politicians for greater regulation. The trucking industry pushed for permission to work longer hours and use a restricted form of high-sulphur diesel to keep deliveries moving.


The partial resumption of production midweek at a fire-damaged Imperial Oil refinery in Ontario was a ray of hope for motorists. But supply problems were still spreading at that point and the company said its refinery wouldn’t be fully operational until the middle of this month.

Dozens of gas stations, most of them in the Greater Toronto Area, have been strategically closed in order to keep others open through the shortage. There were reports that some were asking customers to limit their purchases voluntarily.

Globe and Mail