Holt government to reduce gas prices by 4 cents

The Holt government will remove a charge of about 4 cents on the price of gasoline that was put in place by the Higgs government in response to a federal climate regulation.

The value of this additional gas price charge varies, but is around 4 cents. As of November 15, it was worth 4.50 cents.

The Minister responsible for Energy, René Legacy, tabled a bill in the House on Wednesday to remove this part of the calculation of the price of gasoline. The bill is expected to gain royal assent in December, and motorists should see a change at the pump afterward.

“We hope it will be just after Christmas. [Ce sera] as soon as possible,” says René Legacy.

The Higgs government created this increase in gasoline prices to counter the effect of the federal government’s Clean Fuels Regulations.

This regulation was intended to force companies that produce fuel, such as the Irving refinery, to reduce their pollution, but the Higgs government said it feared an impact of this regulation on small businesses that sell gasoline, such as gas stations. service. He therefore transferred the cost of this regulation directly to consumers by increasing the price of gasoline.

René Legacy did not want to specify whether, in his opinion, the increase existed to protect small retailers, or rather to protect Irving Oil.

“We had a chance to reduce the cost to consumers by 4 cents, and we took it,” he said.

He said the industry can always go to the NB Energy and Utilities Board, the body that sets gasoline prices, to “adjust to the market.”