Regina-Lewvan MP Erin Weir is asking the Competition Bureau to investigate whether gasoline companies exploited hysteria over the federal carbon tax to raise prices by more than the tax amount.
Conservative politicians were imploring drivers to fill their tanks before the federal carbon tax added 4.4 cents per litre on April 1. Since the beginning of March, gas prices in Regina jumped from $1 to $1.20 per litre – far more than can be explained by the carbon levy.
“At a minimum, the much larger jump in gas prices confirms that they are influenced by other factors more significant than the carbon tax,” said MP Weir.
“Since gasoline prices appear to have increased by more than the price of oil and taxes combined, it would be prudent for the Competition Bureau to look into whether gasoline companies took advantage of conservative hysteria to excessively increase prices.”
