Suspected gas pump price gouging prompts Alberta premier to demand investigation

Jason Kenney said he’s launching an investigation into potential price gouging.“First, this afternoon I met with the Canadian Fuels Association to express Albertans’ frustration with recent gas price trends and demand an explanation for why this is going on,” Kenney said in a statement.“Second, I will ask the Competition Bureau of Canada to investigate potential gasoline price fixing in Alberta.

Under the Competition Act, it is illegal for competitors to mutually agree to set prices. Albertans deserve to know if this is going on.Kenney went on to say he’s directed Service Alberta to explore any tools available to the province under the Consumer Protection Act.“With Alberta no longer collecting fuel taxes at the pump, Albertans deserve to know why they are suddenly paying as much for gasoline as motorists in Toronto when as recently as two weeks ago they were paying far less.”On Friday, the average price of regular gasoline in Toronto was around $1.689 per litre, according to GasBuddy.In Calgary and Edmonton, the average price was $1.769 a litre — historically, Albertans have paid much lower prices than people in Ontario due to taxes and proximity to refineries.One energy analyst calls it a “Category 5 fleecing.”President of Canadians for Affordable Energy, Dan McTeague says Alberta gas station operators are taking advantage of drivers and need to start passing on savings immediately.

Gas prices in much of Southern Ontario set to drop on Friday, Saturday: Analyst  He told 630 CHED and 770 CHQR’s Shaye Ganam gas stations are raking in profits off the backs of consumers, even as the price of crude falls.“Their retail margins, which have always been very competitive in the range of 10, 12 or 13 cents a litre, are now 40.