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A shipping delay has left several gas stations across Newfoundland without fuel heading into the weekend, but some have reported being without fuel for most of the week.
Joe Brewer, the mayor of Southern Harbour and owner of the town’s gas station, said his tanks have been empty of both gas and diesel since Monday afternoon.
“This is day four with no gas,” Brewer told CBC News Friday afternoon. “It has been tormenting on us. It’s tormenting on everybody. It’s frustrating on the people of the community.”
Brewer said he knows of at least 14 other gas stations without fuel.
Supply issues have been reported as far east as St. John’s, and Brewer said residents of Southern Harbour now have to drive about 20 minutes to reach a station with product.
In an email to CBC News, Irving Oil said a “brief vessel delay” led to the supply issues. The company expects a return to normal deliveries in the next few days.
Brewer said he’s been told the ship carrying the gasoline is expected to dock on Sunday, which means he may have to wait until Monday or Tuesday for his station to be refilled.
With the amount of gas stations without fuel being so high, Brewer said he believes supply problems could continue.
“It’s not only me, it’s the whole island,” he said.
“So when the ship [does] get in, and with the number of people who [are] out of gas, it’s only a ship of gas. So once everybody gets topped up, you’re going to be in the same situation within the next week or two.”
Brewer said this is the longest he has been without gas and shortages this long aren’t common.
He said his station was previously able to get fuel from the Come By Chance oil refinery, but that has changed since the refinery was converted to produce biofuels.
He said he’d like to see the provincial government take the necessary steps to ensure that supply issues don’t become frequent.
“We can’t get no gas, and it’s affecting the business,” he said.
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