As some gas stations around Victoria increased prices to 209.9 cents per litre, a B.C. minister said there are no plans for additional rebates to help drivers amid the rising costs.
GasBuddy — an online gas price tracker — showed some gas stations in Victoria raising prices as high as 209.9/litre, though some remained as low as 197.9.
Mike Farnworth, B.C.’s minister of public safety and solicitor general said there aren’t plans for more rebate cheques.
“At this point in time, the rebate that’s going out is the one is planned,” Farnworth said. “When we made the announcement, it was done on the basis of ICBC finances, and the minimum capital tests that we need to make sure that we have. And so that’s where things stand right now.”
On GasBuddy’s website, a chart shows the average gas prices for the past 18 months and today’s average price of just over $2 per litre in Victoria is lower than the record-high average price of 208.9, set on March 9, 2022.
Farnworth says the government is keeping an eye on affordability issues in the province.
“One of the things that premier said as government is that we are always looking at ways in which we can deal with affordability issues, because we know it’s not just gas that’s going up and food prices are going up,” Farnworth said.
“But in terms of the situation with ICBC, the rebate that was announced is what is going out, and as I said it’s based on ICBC finances in their responsibilities about ensuring that it maintains a good financial position.”
Despite the Province announcing rebate cheques for drivers and presenting them as a result of high gas prices, the rebate was actually implemented to repay customers from high car insurance rates.
Kevin Falcon, leader of the BC Liberals says high gas prices relate back to the pushback against the Trans Mountain pipeline.
“It has to do with supply and demand, and I want to remind everyone, that this was the premier that when Trans Mountain pipeline wanted to triple the size of their existing pipeline…he said he would use quote ‘every tool in his toolbox’ to oppose that pipeline,” Falcon said.
“And he did and millions of taxpayer dollars were spent uselessly on legal fees and other attempts to try and thwart and stop this particular expansion. And not surprisingly, British Columbia today has the highest fuel prices in North America.”
Laura Brougham
