MidnightWatcher – Prophecy in Motion

By Wendy Gillis and Liam Casey – “Drivers looking to fuel up at Toronto gas stations Tuesday found the pumps dry — a phenomenon that some experts say will become more familiar in the future.

Shell stations across the GTA displayed ‘No Gas’ signs after a delay at their refinery in Sarnia caused supply shortages.

‘Customers are getting mad,’ said Damodar Madhi, an employee at the Shell station near Lake Shore Blvd. and Third St. in Etobicoke, after his station ran out of gas Tuesday morning.

His station hadn’t received a delivery since the weekend, and he had no idea when their next shipment was coming.

Gas shortages in the GTA and across the country will be the new normal, according to experts and Natural Resources Canada. Refineries across the country are pushing out gasoline at or near capacity, and without ‘new refining capacity, supply interruptions could become more frequent and increasingly difficult to manage,’ according to the Natural Resources Canada’s website.

Jeff Gabert, a Shell spokesperson, said the gas company has been experiencing a fuel shortage for the past week, leaving some stations without gas in the GTA, Sarnia and London. Their refinery in Sarnia was shut down for maintenance that lasted a week longer than expected — something that happens frequently at refineries — causing an internal shortage of fuel.

When the company turned to other suppliers in Ontario, including Esso and Suncor, they didn’t have any fuel to spare.” Read more.