http://www.bcbc.com/bcbc-blog/2015/plunging-oil-price-good-for-the-bc-economy-in-2015.
For BC, the near-term economic effect of tumbling oil prices is much clearer – this is a positive macro-economic development that will help lift BC’s economy in 2015. We do produce a small amount of oil in BC, but the volumes are insignificant and there is little direct impact in terms of government revenues or scaled back capital investment. On the other hand, there are numerous channels through which benefits will come.
The most significant is for consumers. According to Statistics Canada’s Household Expenditure Survey, in recent years the average household in BC spent between $2,100 and $2,300 on gasoline. In 2013 and much of 2014 gas prices in the Metro Vancouver averaged $1.40 per litre. In mid-2014 gas prices peaked around $1.50. Today, gas at the pump is selling for barely $1 per litre, which translates into a 25% to 30% reduction in fuel costs for vehicle owners. If gas prices average $1.04 for 2015, a typical household in BC could save $550 on its annual fuel bill. With 1.8 million households in the province, lower gas prices could translate into economy-wide savings for consumers of more than $1 billion. Some of this may be saved, but most of it will be spent on other goods and services, boosting activity in the retail, hospitality and other consumer service sectors.