April 23, 2024
We can stop price gouging at the pump
QUEEN’S PARK – France Gélinas, MPP for Nickel Belt appealed to Premier Ford to stop gouging at the pump in a statement in the legislature.
“We all know that gas prices jumped an average of 14 cents per litre across the GTA last week. Premier Ford immediately raised the concern of disgusting price gouging by Ontario gas stations. I applaud the Premier’s statement and rise to offer him a solution.
Residents of Nickel Belt and Northern Ontario have been dealing with price gouging at the pump for years. Fuel companies set the price per litre according to what the market can bear. Apparently, in the North, we can bear a lot.
Thousands of people have signed my petition to regulate the price of gas. We regulate the price of energy when it comes to natural gas, when it comes to electricity; what is stopping us from regulating the price of a litre of gas? Five provinces and many US states already have gas price regulation, and it works.
I ask that the Premier finally considers regulating the price of gas here in Ontario so that none of us have to be gouged when we go and fill up. This is a moment when this Premier can actually get it done. You have recognized that Ontarians are being gouged by fuel retailers across the province. Let’s end price gouging at the pump now. We can do this.”
France Gélinas and the NDP have been advocating for energy board oversight of retail gasoline prices since 2014.