NDP Open Letter on Northern Ontario Gas Prices
Rec’vd from the office of MPP Michael Mantha June 22, 2016
___________________
16 June, 2016
The Hon. Glenn Thibeault, Minister of Energy
4th Floor, Hearst Block
900 Bay Street
Toronto, Ontario M7A 2E1
Re: Gas Prices
Dear Minister,
People across Ontario, and especially the North, are being ripped off at the gas pumps.
As an opposition MP you were vocal on this issue. Now is the time for you to act. As the Minister responsible for the Ontario Energy Board, you should direct the OEB to monitor gas pricing, reduce volatility and increase competition. This is something you can do today.
As every driver in Ontario knows long weekends often lead to big spikes in gas prices. We are calling on you to act now, before the Canada Day long weekend.
We are also calling for a meeting at your earliest convenience to discuss ways to get gas prices and energy prices in Northern Ontario under control.
There is something seriously wrong when Sudburians pay above the average 90% of the time, and when drivers in Sudbury consistently pay more than people in North Bay, something you have suggested is price fixing. As you know, this isn’t unique to Sudbury: all across Ontario there are communities being gouged.
In the past you specifically highlighted the fact provinces can and should take a leading role in regulating prices and ending gouging, noting,
“A way to deal with rising prices could be regulation, [Thibeault] added, and with that, ‘anything is on the table… ‘There’s regulation in place in places like New Brunswick and other Atlantic provinces where … it’s not all of a sudden going to jump on a Friday … by five or 10 cents a litre and then drop back down on a Monday.’”
You went further, noting that
“The Government needs to bring forward a system that allows consumer complaints and concerns to be properly heard.”
Why does this matter to people? As you, yourself, told the Sudbury Star in November 2014,
“When they have to worry about putting another 10 bucks in gas in their car, it takes away from food on the table”
This summer, people across Ontario will be heading out on the road to visit friends and family, go fishing, camping and enjoy the outdoors. They deserve to pay a fair and predictable price when they fill their tanks.
For years you promised people you wanted to take action to get gas prices under control. Here’s your chance to act.
Sincerely, 
Gilles Bisson MPP Timmins-James Bay
Sarah Campbell MPP Kenora-Rainy River
France Gelinas MPP Nickel Belt
Michael Mantha MPP Algoma-Manitoulin
John Vanthof MPP Timiskaming-Cochrane
