By Greg Fry

‘Gas price hikes not a tax question but a gouging question’: Horgan

Jul 4, 2018 | 1:45 PM

VICTORIA — B.C. Premier John Horgan is blaming gouging by oil companies, not increased taxes, as the reason for the pain consumers are feeling at the pumps these days.

Gas prices jumped overnight around B.C., including 9 cents per litre to $153.9 in Victoria and up to 14 cents per litre to $147.9 at some Kamloops gas stations.

“It’s not about taxation. I know that there are those that would like to make that the argument, but clearly there’s not a connection between the commodity price of a barrel of oil and the price at the pumps,” Horgan argued.

He says that tells him there are two issues at play, a matter of supply and the ability to refine more product rather than shipping raw materials offshore. He identified refining as his preference.

Horgan dismissed the notion that the price of gas went up in relation to a recent decision by politicians in Metro Vancouver to raise the price of gas.

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“The mayors said they couldn’t close the gap that they needed to provide their share of the transit funding in the Lower Mainland.” he said.

“They asked us for tools and we have them the tool. Prices did not go up; it was announced that we gave the municipalities the ability to do that if they chose to. But it’s entirely up to them and they’ve not yet done that.”