Canadians living in the provinces with the lowest

gas prices

say their finances are suffering the most from the jump at the pump brought on by the war in

Iran

, according to a new poll by the Angus Reid Institute.

Despite lower prices in Alberta, Saskatchewan and Manitoba, people there complained the most about elevated gas prices and said the “rising cost at the pump has affected their household ‘a great deal,’” Angus Reid said in the poll release.

“The effect has not been uniform across the country, although all provinces have seen higher gas prices,” it said.

It also said the price difference between provinces has been running as high as 30 cents per litre, with different tax rules between jurisdictions adding to the discrepancy.

For example, gas prices on March 17 averaged $2.05 per litre in Vancouver, $1.53 in Calgary, $1.63 in Regina, $1.69 in Toronto, $1.88 in Montreal and $1.69 in Halifax, according to Kalibrate Technologies Ltd.

In Alberta and Saskatchewan, 28 per cent of poll respondents said higher gas prices had affected their

household budgets

a lot and 29 per cent in Manitoba said the same, compared to 23 per cent of the approximately 3,500 people surveyed from March 11 to 16.

Nationally, 44 per cent said they were noticing the difference in their finances “a little bit,” and it was slightly higher in Alberta, Saskatchewan and Manitoba.

Angus Reid attributed the higher financial hit in those regions to the larger share of commuters who depend on a car, truck or van to get around.

Nearly 60 per cent nationally said they have changed their behaviour in response to rising prices at the pumps, including 48 per cent who are driving less and 14 per cent who are cutting spending somewhere else.

The average gas price has risen nearly 23 per cent to $1.74 cents per litre from $1.42 per cent at the start of the war against Iran at the end of February, according to Kalibrate.

Iran has effectively closed access to the Strait of Hormuz, a critical transit route for one-fifth of the world’s oil exports.

In response, prices for West Texas Intermediate, which is the North American benchmark, have surged 42 per cent since the start of the conflict and now sit at around US$95 per barrel, up from US$67. Brent crude, the European benchmark, which is more exposed to supplies from the Middle East, was trading above US$100 per barrel on Tuesday compared with $72 on Feb. 27.

Angus Reid also said there was little support for Canada assisting the United States in its war against Iran, with three-quarters saying Canada should stay out of the conflict, while 10 per cent said the country should “have a role.”

• Email: gmvsuhanic@postmedia.com

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