Many Okotoks residents who may be commuting into the city for work are questioning the ethics around the fluctuating gas prices in the morning and evening hours.

Dan McTeague, Senior Petroleum Analyst with Gas Buddy, says one of the reasons prices drop in the evening is for retailers to stay competitive.

"Gas stations are selling and trying to match their competitors later in the evening when most people tend to buy. It's always best to buy in the evening if you want to save money," he said.

McTeague adds knowledge is key when trying to pinch pennies at the pump.

"It's critical for people to understand what it is at play. I'm seeing a lot of gas stations at 92.9 cents per litre. For every gas station in Okotoks, it's costing them about 98 cents per litre to buy their fuel, so they are in fact, selling gasoline below cost around the clock," he said.

McTeague says they refer to this as "gas bar shenanigans," and that we can expect to see another increase in pricing some time today.

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