Provincial regulation of fuel prices? One Shuswap community is pushing for it

PENTICTON – You aren't the only one fed up with high fuel prices.

The District of Sicamous is looking for support from other interior cities for its idea to have the province regulate fuel costs in B.C.

They'll be at next week’s Southern Interior Local Government Association convention in Penticton. Delegates say the district has researched the cost of fuel across Canada and argues the difference in the cost of fuel between Alberta and B.C. is only $.025/ litre when the excise, provincial and carbon taxes are combined.

But at the pump, B.C.’s average retail price is $1.24/ litre, while Alberta’s average price is $0.94/ litre, a difference of $0.30/ litre.

The district says the entire Okanagan and Shuswap depends on the tourism industry to support business and local economies, and they want the Union of B.C. Municipalities to petition the province to regulate fuel costs in B.C. to “better be in line with the fuel costs across Canada.”

British Columbians also pays the highest price for fuel in the country.

The Southern Interior Local Government Association AGM and Convention runs from April 30 to May 3 this year at Penticton’s Trade and Convention Centre. The association is comprised of elected officials from 37 cities, towns, villages, districts and regional districts in South-Central British Columbia. This year’s convention will look at a total of 24 resolutions.

Delegates will winnow those resolutions down before they bring their common concerns to the B.C.-wide association which will do the same thing before lobbying the B.C. government for action. 

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