Ella Phillips checking the prices of gas at a Shell gas station in Lethbridge on Mar. 24.

For young Albertans already stretched thin from the pressures of school, work and the rising cost of living, the price of paying for gas has begun hitting particularly hard.

Because of the recent blockage of the Strait of Hormuz relating to the war in Iran, the global oil trade has been greatly disrupted, and gas prices have soared over the past couple of weeks.

Gas prices across Canada have climbed to over $1.99 per litre for regular gas according to Global Petro Prices in Canada. In Calgary, the prices for diesel have reached over $2 per litre, while regular gas reached it peak at $1.73 per litre in March according to gas price records for Calgary.

This is something that is affecting Lethbridge as well, as gas prices are usually higher here compared to Calgary because of local demand and pricing strategies of local gas stations. And for the young people who have to commute, they’re really starting to feel the rise in their wallets.

“Before gas went up, I was probably paying $150 per month, but I also don’t make a lot, so when it goes up, I am worried because typically it would only take around $50 to fill my car up from empty to full.” said Ella Phillips, a nursing student at the Lethbridge Polytechnic who commutes into Lethbridge from Raymond every weekday, “I’m a penny pincher already and expenses are very stressful for me, so there are certain things that I am for sure going to want to do, and avoiding driving as much as possible is one.”

Because Phillips lives out of town her options for transportation are limited, with no public transportation going from Raymond to Lethbridge and no one else living around her travelling in and out of town as much, her only option is to drive.

“It’s something that is unavoidable for me, but if I don’t have to go anywhere, then I won’t.” says Phillips.

This isn’t just an issue for students however, Spencer Noonan a young adult who lives on his own here in Lethbridge and commutes to work almost every day and with having to pay for his own living expenses, the cost of gas has him thinking about other ways to travel.

“It’s definitely made me more careful in my decisions about how much I should be driving and how much I need to be aware of my gas, which is not fun because I don’t want to care about that, but I have to” says Noonan, “I got my license not too long ago and when I was first driving, prices were around $1.50 so, I’m used to it, but I know that’s not normal.”

Noonan says the price increase has affected his thought process on purchases and potential forms of transportation when it comes to commuting to work.

“Our transit here is not amazing so, it’s not really a good motivator for me, unfortunately” stated Noonan, “It was harder recently just because the weather was bad, but now that we’re going into spring, I will probably start biking or walking to work.”

What’s clear from both conversations is the burden of rising fuel costs isn’t being put onto one group. For students, young workers and even the average person, the rising price of gas is becoming a constraint on how to navigate tight budgets and how to live their lives.