According to manager Cherill Greening, the best deal on gas in B.C. can be found at Lake Babine Nation's Sne C’al Yegh Gas and Convenience store on the Woyonne Reserve.
Greening has been manager since September 2011.
Opened by Lake Babine Nation in 2009, Sne C’al Yegh sells regular gas and diesel to status members and since December 2011, to non status customers.
"We are the cheapest for status and non status gas prices," she said, adding that this is for a number of reasons, but principally because the store is located on the Woyonne Reserve.
Greening said they are able to keep costs down because the taxes that non status customers pay on fuel is refunded back to the Sne C’al Yegh, because it's located on the reserve.
She said the prices are also kept lower because the store is independently owned [by Lake Babine Nation, it's not a franchise] and the building that houses the Sne C’al Yegh is fully owned by Lake Babine Nation.
"We don't run any promotions like the other local gas stations do, such as a points bonus system. The minute we introduce anything like that our prices would be pushed up."
While diesel also sells for less at the at the Sne C’al Yegh, Greening said it is more expensive to sell. "We are not making as much as I would like on diesel, because I like to give our customers a good deal."
The current pice for diesel is $1.21.9 per litre for non status and $1.04.9 for status.
Greening said the price is set when the gas or diesel is delivered to the store. Once it's delivered Greening phones the company she is purchasing the gas from and asks them how much they are charging for the truck load of gas that day.
"We then set the price up or down, depending on how much we have to pay."
Greening said every month the store is rebated for the non status taxes that have been paid.
"The profits from the store go to the Lake Babine Nation, but we are working for the whole community to provide cheaper gas."
Greening said Sne C’al Yegh also delivers full service to its customers. After the gas is paid for, an employee will fill up the customers vehicle and will also check the oil upon request.
The store employs four full time staff and two part time staff. The Sne C’al Yegh's regular non status gas price is $1.11.9 and the status price is currently 96 cents per litre.
"We try to keep the prices within six to 10 cents less per litre than downtown," Greening said.
Greening said that non status prices are an even better deal, but added that even though they are located on the reserve they are not allowed to advertise status prices on signs at the store due to issues with discrimination.
She did however say that generally the status price for gas is 16 cents less than non status.
She also said that over Christmas, status members were paying 98.9 cents per litre for their gas.