PUMP SHOCK TOUR 3: Time to Protect the Little Guy

2006-07-10       Post a Comment

Gilles Bisson kicked off his latest Pump Shock Tour this time in Toronto, Hamilton, London, Chatam, Windsor and Kitchener. Bisson called on the Ontario Government to regulate gasoline prices, similiar to other provinces.

Gilles with Howard Nemoitz of Independant Gas Operators at Queen's Park

"Firstly I want to say that I believe in competition. If there was true competition right now, I wouldn't be here, but there isn't. The big oil companies are putting the independants out of business."

Bisson says the oil companies are selling gasoline to the small guy at a certain rate then undercutting by charging their own customers less than what they sold to the independants. "The independants buy gas at a dollar for example, but then have to sell it at 95 cents to compete. Do the math, they are losing money and are closing. Of course, then the big guys can jack up prices again."

Independant gas operators at Pump Shock launch

 

 

 

 

Bisson stresses that he is only proposing one idea. "If someone out there has a better idea, let's talk. Competition works if there's actually competition. But in places like regulated Montreal, gas is on average 2 or 3 cents cheaper than non-regulated Toronto. And the same thing in comparitive cities out east."

Bisson argues with those who say gas is more expensive out east than here. "Gas was always more out there. But in Charlottetown it was cheaper than Halifax, before Nova Scotia regulated. So let's compare apples to apples. Plus we regulate natural gas through the Ontario Energy Board."

for more www.ontariondp.com/pumpshock 

For more photos go to out and about page