Surrey-Whalley NDP MLA Bruce Ralston says cutting fuel taxes to lower thumping gas prices at the pump would only create a price gap that gas companies would then fill.

Ralston, now B.C.sa国际传媒檚 minister of energy, mines and low carbon innovation, said in a press statement in 2019, following the release of a BC Utilities Commission investigation into gas prices, that British Columbians are being sa国际传媒渞ipped offsa国际传媒� at the pumps.

sa国际传媒淧eople feel like theysa国际传媒檙e being ripped off when they fill up at the gas station. And theysa国际传媒檙e right,sa国际传媒� he said at the time.

But gas prices today, as any local commuter knows too well, have soared much higher than they were even back then.

Ralston noted the Fuel Price Transparency Act gives the utilities commission, an independent energy watchdog, the power to monitor wholesale and retail prices sa国际传媒渢o make sure fuel companies arensa国际传媒檛 taking advantage of the current conditions.

sa国际传媒淎nd some of the price increases are part of, reflection of the rise in the world price and the government doesnsa国际传媒檛 have control over that and neither do the local suppliers,sa国际传媒� Ralston pointed out.

The government, however, does have control over fuel taxes.

sa国际传媒淵eah, yeah, but what is very clear and I think theresa国际传媒檚 been a lot of discussion about this, but what would happen if we were to take off or take away the fuel tax, for example a carbon tax? The gas companies would just fill that and take the money for themselves,sa国际传媒� he countered.

Ralston cited sa国际传媒渁 very good examplesa国际传媒� contained in the utilities commissionsa国际传媒檚 most recent report comparing gas prices in Squamish with those in West Vancouver.

sa国际传媒淚n West Vancouver they pay the TransLink, 17.5 cents per litre and in Squamish they donsa国际传媒檛. And guess what the gas prices in Squamish are? Theysa国际传媒檙e higher than in West Vancouver. So they just fill it in, and they just take the money.

sa国际传媒淪o we donsa国际传媒檛 think in the long-term itsa国际传媒檚 good policy to take away the carbon tax. I mean, wesa国际传媒檙e in a climate crisis,sa国际传媒� Ralston said. sa国际传媒淚 get that small businesses, whether yousa国际传媒檝e got a delivery business or yousa国际传媒檙e driving your kids to soccer, any of that kind of stuff, it is an additional financial burden, theresa国际传媒檚 no doubt it, but taking away the taxes wonsa国际传媒檛 result in any relief itsa国际传媒檇 just be more money for the gas companies.sa国际传媒�

Meantime, Premier John Horgan is expected to roll out a plan soon to tackle high gas prices.

sa国际传媒淲esa国际传媒檙e working on that, I mean I cansa国际传媒檛 get ahead of the premiersa国际传媒檚 office on that sa国际传媒� theresa国际传媒檚 internal discussions and processes that are going through,sa国际传媒� he said. sa国际传媒淲e understand that that the crisis is now and the prices are up now, so donsa国际传媒檛 think theresa国际传媒檚 any effort to delay it, but you cansa国际传媒檛 do these things at a snap of the finger.sa国际传媒�

How does Ralston feel about paying more than $2 per litre at the pump?

sa国际传媒淚sa国际传媒檓 not crazy about it,sa国际传媒� he replied.

tom.zytaruk@surreynowleader.com
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