Fuel prices across the province are expected to drop significantly in the next 48 hours, providing some relief to those who will be traveling on the roads during the long weekend.

Roger McKnight, senior petroleum analyst at En-Pro International Inc, says fuel prices are likely to drop by three cents on Thursday, and will drop another eight cents by Friday at most stations.

McKnight says Friday will see fuel prices fall to less than $2 per liter ($1.989).

Fuel costs have steadily risen in recent days, climbing from 193.9 cents/liter on May 12 to the 209.9 cents/liter recorded on May 18. The highest monthly price for April was 188.9 compared to 190.9 in March.

Statistics Canada says the annual inflation rate rose to 6.8 percent in April – the highest rate since January 1991.

The agency also says the rate increased from 6.7 percent in March, with grocery store costs jumping 9.7 percent year over year, and fuel prices rising by 36.3 percent.

In April, the Ford government announced legislation to temporarily reduce gas and fuel taxes in Ontario.

Regional Liberals say they will offer rebates of up to $8,000 for electric vehicles priced at $65,000, while also encouraging people to use public transit by reducing all ride fares across the province to one dollar per trip until January 2024.

Federal NDP leader Jagmeet Singh wants Prime Minister Justin Trudeau to fund carbon tax credits by redirecting a $2.6 billion tax credit pledged in the recent budget to help companies build carbon capture and storage systems.

Most of that is likely to go to oil and gas companies, and the NDP leader says this is considered an enormous subsidy to companies earning record profits due to high gas prices harming Canadian families.

Edited by: Dima Abu Khair