Surging gas prices impacting support services for Ottawa’s vulnerable populations

The spike in gas prices is impacting an Ottawa organization that helps drive seniors to medical appointments and grocery stores. CTV’s Dylan Dyson reports.

With gas prices just shy of $1.80 per litre Monday morning, Ottawa West Community Support (OWCS) is considering pulling back on some of its services.

The organization has a fleet of 10 vehicles, and among other services, provides transportation to seniors and adults with physical disabilities. But with a tight budget and volunteers that pay their own gas, OWCS might not be able to afford to stay on the road.

“We’re absorbing those costs at the moment, which isn’t easy to do,” says Jennier Lalonde, executive director at Ottawa West Community Support.

“Probably I would say we can manage for about a month, and then we’re going to have to start to look at other solutions longer term. We’re going to have to increase fees to the seniors who are on fixed incomes and maybe provide fewer rides than what we’ve been able to provide in the past.”

Eric Dionne has been a driver for OWCS for 26 years. He says between medical appointments and shopping excursions, he is on the road between six to seven hours each day, which adds up in fuel costs.

“This vehicle would probably be $120,” Dionne said Monday afternoon. “It’s not that long ago you get away with $95, maybe $100.”

Gas analyst Dan McTeague says at 179.9 cents per litre, these are prices Ottawa hasn’t seen since April 2024.

• Find the lowest gas prices at the CTVNewsOttawa.ca gas price hub

U.S. President Donald Trump made comments Monday alluding to possible talks to deescalate conflict in Iran, which could bring gas prices back down.

“If this does reverse itself and what Trump says turns out to be a bit of a head fake, then we could be looking at $2 a liter come April 15 when we switch from winter to summer gasoline,” says McTeague, president at Canadians for Affordable Energy.

Prices that high could spell bad news for Ottawa’s vulnerable population.

“We’re just going to have to do fewer rides,” says Lalonde. “Which means that fewer people are going to be able to get to their medical appointments that need to be there, which ultimately will impact the health of the community and the seniors that desperately need the care that they’re getting.”

McTeague did say that drivers should be able to get some immediate short-term relief by mid-week.

“It looks like we’re looking at a decrease that will be somewhere in the order of about $0.14 a liter from Wednesday, and if you can hold off on the diesel side, at least $0.17 to $0.18 a litre at this point.”

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