Alberta drivers face another jump at the pump after Illinois refinery outage

CANADA Alberta drivers face another jump at the pump after Illinois refinery outage By Sean Previl Global News Posted September 16, 2026 6:58 pm 1 min read View image in full screen FILE - A person pumps gas at a gas station in Toronto, on Wednesday, Sept. 2, 2026. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Keito Newman LEAVE A COMMENT SHARE THIS ITEM ON FACEBOOK SHARE THIS ITEM ON X SEND THIS PAGE TO SOMEONE VIA EMAIL SEE MORE SHARING OPTIONS DESCREASE ARTICLE FONT SIZE INCREASE ARTICLE FONT SIZE Gas prices have increased in Alberta, but while disruptions around the world have kept costs high this summer, that’s not the cause of the recent spike. When pumps rolled over, the prices jumped by as much as $0.30 in some locations. In Edmonton, some gas stations were seeing a $1.81 cost per litre, while Calgary sat at $1.84. This latest price jump isn’t the first this year, as the ongoing war in Iran and blockage of the Strait of Hormuz are causing costs to soar. The cost for gas has ranged between $1.80 in the spring to $1.50 in July. Get breaking Montreal news Get breaking Montreal news delivered to your inbox as it happens so you won't miss a trending story. SIGN UP FOR BREAKING MONTREAL NEWSLETTER GET STARTED BY PROVIDING YOUR EMAIL ADDRESS, YOU HAVE READ AND AGREE TO GLOBAL NEWS' TERMS AND CONDITIONS AND PRIVACY POLICY. But Dan McTeague, president of Canadians for Affordable Energy, told Global News this latest jump isn’t due to global pressures but a recent power failure at a refinery in Illinois. STORY CONTINUES BELOW ADVERTISEMENT “We’re seeing the effects of what amounts to net $0.18 for gasoline and about roughly $0.24 to $0.25 for diesel,” McTeague said. The Exxon Mobil Joliet refinery in Channahon, Ill., lost power on Sunday and as of Tuesday afternoon had not yet come back online. MORE ON CANADA MORE VIDEOS Charges dropped against 2 men accused in Toronto Pearson gold heist New Brunswick’s nuclear power plant expected to be off-line for weeks, official says Micro-shelter village being built in Scarborough Former co-worker testifies to corporal discipline in Friesen jury trial The jump may be short-lived as the plant is slowly brought back online, but even if it sees prices drop, McTeague added the focus should centre around the price of diesel. According to McTeague, diesel is already double what it was at this time last year and could make things more expensive and less affordable in the weeks to come. “Think of trucks, transportation, construction,…