Possible Solutions

Possible solutions would include:

 ·          Inviting the federal competition bureau to monitor local gasoline prices versus those in other communities.  The competition bureau is reluctant to pursue yet another gasoline pricing complaint and a letter of support from Lethbridge city council would be helpful.

 ·        Encouraging consumers to continue to boycott the price leaders.  City council probably would have difficulty doing this but an independent group in the community can continue to educate consumers as to prices charged by these same companies in other communities and embarrass the companies by comparing the prices offered by their stations in other locations to the prices offered in Lethbridge. 

·          Encouraging the local media to publicize differences in gasoline pricing between Lethbridge and other communities on a regular basis.  The adverse publicity would change the behaviour of local retailers.

·         Encouraging Murphy Oil to open one or more retail outlets in Lethbridge to stimulate local competition.

         The issue of unfair pricing in the Lethbridge market is not a new one.  In fact it is so prevalent and so persistent that it is difficult to identify new ways of addressing the issue.

        I hope that you find the enclosed information to be helpful.  I would be happy to table the information supplied at a city council meeting, speak to the information and answer any questions. 

Thank you for your interest.

Chris Spearman 

How You Can Help Get Gas Prices Down

•                  Help us find central locations for our petitions.  Do you know a business or location that would be willing to host our petitions. 

•                  Do you know employees or former gas station owners who would be willing to testify about unfair pricing practices?  If you do, we would like to add their information to our request to the competition bureau. 

•                  Keep checking our website for updates. 

•                 Don’t buy gas from Shell, Turbo or Petro-Canada.  They are the price leaders.  We have repeatedly seen them initiate price increases. 

•                  Question why prices are so high at local gas stations.  We don’t want to harass employees earning minimum wages.  We want local owners to know their pricing practices are not appreciated.  And we also want to know why they routinely follow pricing practices that are so clearly unethical.  

•                  Write letters or e-mail your complaints to the petroleum marketing companies.  Be as factual as possible and use their own pricing practices against them ( Why are their stations in Fort MacLeod, Medicine Hat etc so much cheaper ). 

You don’t have to do ALL of these.  Any help would be appreciated. 

Complacency is our biggest obstacle in over-coming unfair prices.  

Don’t rely on someone else if you agree that gasoline prices in our market are unfair. 

..... Compare Pricing