Updated September 28, 2010

A note on Hurricane Igor

Update!

Here's all the data. Final numbers!

Heating and stove oils show a 14/100ths of a cent increase.
Diesel shows "No Change", and...
Gasoline shows a drop of 4/10ths of a cent at the pumps.
Have a good week!



Hi to all...

There's been some question as to what fuel prices are going to do this week here in the province as regards to the side effects of Hurricane Igor.

As far as I know, there will be no effects immediately as the numbers for any substantive increases are simply not there as regards to what has happened on the New York Mercantile Exchange (NYMEX).

Here's what I have so far, six days out of seven reporting:

* Heating and stove oils show a very modest drop of 11/100ths of a cent.
* Diesel shows a drop of just a tenth of a cent, and...
* Gasoline shows a drop of 5/10ths, a half cent down.

Another reminder to consumers in the affected areas of Igor comes this morning from the Emergency Services Act. Up to 2007, the federal government stated that gouging was not allowed under declared states of emergency and that was contained under the old Emergency Preparedness Act, repealed in 2007.

Price gouging is now covered under the provinces 'Emergency Services Act, particularly under section 23(1), which states:

Offence and penalty re: pricing

23. (1) During a declared emergency, a person in the province shall not charge higher prices for food, clothing, fuel, equipment, including medical equipment, medical or essential supplies, or for the use of property, services, resources or equipment than the fair market value of the same thing immediately before the declaration of the emergency.

(2) A person who commits an offence under subsection (1) is liable on summary conviction to a fine of up to $5,000.

(3) This section shall not apply to cost increases which, in the opinion of the minister, are reasonable and have been necessitated by the declaration of the emergency.

I would make the suggestion that, if someone were to be caught doing this sort of thing in any of the storm affected areas, that they be prosecuted to the full extent that the law allows.

Just thought I'd pass this one along as the rumours are out there of impending high prices and possible gouging out there! I'll be back with a final breakdown on what to expect for Thursday, sometime later tonight!

Regards,



George Murphy

Group researcher/ Member

Consumer Group for Fair Gas Prices