Patrick De Haan, head of petroleum analysis at GasBuddy says declines across much of the Prairies-including Saskatchewan, Manitoba, and Alberta -as well as Newfoundland and Labrador – led the way for Canada’s national average gasoline price to edge slightly lower last week.

Average retail gasoline prices in Saskatoon have fallen 4.6 c/L in the past week, averaging 184.03 c/L yesterday, according to GasBuddy’s daily survey of 81 gas outlets in Saskatoon. This compares with the national average that has fallen 0.5 c/L in the last week to 185.04 c/L, according to gasoline price website GasBuddy.com.

Including the change in gas prices in Saskatoon during the past week, prices yesterday were 50.0 c/L higher than the same day one year ago and are 12.2 c/L higher than a month ago.

De Haan says optimism generated by potential talks between the U.S. and Iran has since faded as negotiations appear to have stalled, helping push crude prices higher again in early trading. He predicts additional gasoline price increases could be on the horizon for much of Canada in the days ahead.

And he suggests diesel prices may face even greater upward pressure across the Prairies as new refinery issues impacting diesel-producing units in the U.S. Midwest tighten regional supply.