New Brunswick Gas Stations Turn Off Pumps

Some motorists across New Brunswick had to search for gas Tuesday after almost 100 independent gasoline retailers turned off their pumps for several hours to protest price regulation.

Service station attendants told motorists they had no fuel to sell, or that they couldn't afford to sell it at the regulated price set by the province's Conservative government when regulation came into effect on July 1, 2006.

The government should let the gas stations set their own price, if they want to raise it or lower it.

The province set a maximum price of $1.12 a litre, but has allowed retailers to add a couple of cents to cover transport costs.

However, the retailers say the government has done nothing to ensure there is a profit margin when refinery and wholesale prices rise.

The formula used to set the price allows for a six-cent-a-litre profit margin for wholesalers and five-cents-per-litre for retailers.