BC NDP leader David Eby says his campaign would suspend 10 cents per litre of motor fuel taxes and empower the B.C. Utilities Commission to set maximum fuel prices.
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The BC NDP says David Eby has a two-part plan to reduce gas and diesel prices for drivers in B.C., including suspending a portion of the provincial gas tax “to provide immediate relief.”
In a release announced Thursday morning, Eby said his plan would “save drivers as much as $20 on every tank of gas,” and estimated it would put “up to $100 back in your budget every single month for a typical two-car family in Surrey.” He linked the proposal to what he described as profit-driven price pressure, saying, “Big oil and gas companies have been exploiting conflicts overseas to make record profits, leaving ordinary drivers and truckers paying the price every time they fill up.”
The BC NDP says the plan includes a price guard that would regulate gas and diesel prices. It says the party would empower the British Columbia Utilities Commission (BCUC) to set maximum prices that retailers in B.C. can charge consumers.
The second part of the plan, according to the release, would require suspending motor fuel taxes by 10 cents per litre on both gasoline and diesel.
The BC NDP says the changes would reduce costs for truckers, with a local or short-distance regional truck saving “up to $116 per fill-up” and long-haul truckers saving “up to $240.”
The release also ties the proposal to international developments. A statement from the BC NDP says U.S. President Donald Trump “did not just start a trade war with Canada; he also launched the war in Iran that caused global oil prices to spike.” The NDP says the move has cost British Columbians around $865 million in added fuel costs, while “the four largest Canadian oil companies doubled their quarterly profits to a staggering $13.3 billion,” which the release says is close to B.C.’s total deficit amount of $13.8 billion.
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