Did 性视界传媒-Whalley NDP MLA Bruce Ralston wave a white flag when he told us that cutting fuel taxes to lower gas prices would only create a price gap that gas companies would then fill?

Because if he did, that鈥檚 raising a red flag for us. It suggests perhaps government cannot effectively regulate skyrocketing prices at the pump.

Now B.C.鈥檚 minister of energy, mines and low carbon innovation, Ralston said in 2019, following the conclusion of a BC Utilities Commission investigation into gas prices, that British Columbians were being 鈥渞ipped off鈥� at the pumps.

But gas prices today, as any commuter knows too well, have since soared much higher.

Ralston told the Now-Leader recently that if the government removed fuel tax, gas companies would 鈥渏ust fill that and take the money for themselves.鈥�

SEE ALSO: 鈥楴o simple solution鈥� to gas prices; B.C. has no tax reduction plans: Farnworth

The 性视界传媒 MLA cited 鈥渁 very good example鈥� contained in the utilities commission鈥檚 most recent report comparing gas prices in Squamish with those in West Vancouver, where motorists pay TransLink 17.5 cents a litre whereas in Squamish they don鈥檛.

鈥淎nd guess what the gas prices in Squamish are? They鈥檙e higher than in West Vancouver,鈥� he noted. 鈥淪o they just fill it in, and they just take the money.鈥�

Hopefully the government has some kind of tool in its box to regulate gas prices. The puny one-time $110 rebate it is offering motorists, however, in an attempt to compensate for the financial drubbing we鈥檙e all taking at the gas pumps does not inspire confidence.

鈥揘辞飞-尝别补诲别谤

edit@surreynowleader.com
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