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VIDEO: Gas shortage hits Greater Victoria as blocked highway chokes supply

Lineups forming at the pumps with some stations completely out of fuel

Flooding impacts on the supply chain are starting to be felt in Greater Victoria where gas stations are running low on fuel and drivers are lining up in order to get theirs.

“As clean-up from the recent rainfall continues to impact roadways, petroleum retailers across the Island are experiencing challenges obtaining stable fuel supply,” reads a statement on Peninsula Co-op’s website.

Vehicles could be seen lined up around the local chain’s North Saanich location Wednesday morning.

With lines on West Saanich and Birch roads, staff said supplies were running low and were likely to run out soon. They weren’t sure when their next delivery might arrive but thought it could be later in the day.

Traffic into and out of the capital region has been restricted due to damage caused by flooding on Highway 1, the sole viable road link between it and the rest of Vancouver Island. Vehicle access is limited and slow during the day and closed entirely in both directions every night until Nov. 22, as crews work to repair the damage.

In Saanich, the Chevron station at Cloverdale Avenue and Quadra Street is out of fuel, with pylons blocking pumps. The Petro Canada location across the street is seeing some lineups.

In Sooke, both the Esso and the Chevron station are running low on gas, with deliveries that were supposed to come today having been delayed.

At the Petro Canada on Sooke Road, manager June Ells says they received a delivery two days ago and should be able to get by to the end of the weekend. But Ells said they expected delays in deliveries, adding it was likely deliveries might be pushed back until they’re running low on fuel.

On the West Shore, gas stations are facing a similar experience. At the Esso on Jacklin Road in Langford, cars were lined up into the street at some points late in the morning.

As of 11:30 a.m., the station only had 91 octane premium gas available, and a staff member said they had around 4,000 litres left.

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More to come.


 

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Vehicles are lined up on West Saanich and Birch roads outside the North Saanich Peninsula Co-op location. (Wolf Depner/News Staff)