It's been just over seven years since gas prices have been this low across the country, especially heading into a summer long weekend, Canada's birthday weekend. Research indicates gasoline prices across Canada are averaging $1.04 per litre, 14 cents per litre lower than the 10-year average, and the lowest it's been since 2010.

Petroleum Analyst Dan McTeague said Manitobans are getting Christmas early this year.

"You're looking at prices right now between 88 and 91 cents per litre throughout all of Southern Manitoba, and you'er looking at prices we have not seen at this time of year since at least 2010. A bit of an unexpected outcome because many analysts, including myself, expected it to be a much more expensive year at the pumps. Three factors are currently impacting the gasoline market this summer: a downturn in the price of oil, lower than expected demand for gas as the summer driving season starts and large inventories of gasoline in the United States. Maybe for the next few weeks we are expecting these prices to remain. After that it's anyone's guess. The prices could go lower after that, however, they could also go higher as gasoline companies throttle back on production, because they are not making any money, we could see prices rebound."

According to the U.S. Energy Information Administration, demand over the past four weeks is 1.6 per cent lower than it was a year ago. A lot has been said about the inventories of crude oil in storage around the world, however there is also more gasoline in storage.

Canadian gasoline prices seem to be based on U.S. wholesale market prices, set daily by refiners. Refineries in the U.S. have been working at nearly full capacity trying to get ready for what was supposed to be a busy summer driving season, but the demand has yet to be seen as expected.