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GasBuddy News Article


Canada targets gasoline pumps amid price worries
Tuesday, May 13, 2008
Reuters UK -- OTTAWA, May 12 (Reuters) - Canada's Conservative government says it can't do anything about the high price of gasoline but on Monday it promised to make sure consumers get what they pay for when they fuel up their cars.

Industry Minister Jim Prentice told Parliament he wants to impose fines of C$10,000 ($10,000) on gas retailers that overcharge customers due to faulty pumps, instead of the current fine of C$1,000, and make pump inspections mandatory every two years.

He has asked the agency responsible for inspecting retail gas stations, Measurements Canada, to prepare regulatory changes for later this year and to intensify inspections over the summer.


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JT
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Message Posted: 5/13/2008 9:56:01 AM  Ignore JT Report Abuse
Tuesday, May 13, 2008
Reuters UK -- OTTAWA, May 12 (Reuters) - Canada's Conservative government says it can't do anything about the high price of gasoline but on Monday it promised to make sure consumers get what they pay for when they fuel up their cars.

Industry Minister Jim Prentice told Parliament he wants to impose fines of C$10,000 ($10,000) on gas retailers that overcharge customers due to faulty pumps, instead of the current fine of C$1,000, and make pump inspections mandatory every two years.

He has asked the agency responsible for inspecting retail gas stations, Measurements Canada, to prepare regulatory changes for later this year and to intensify inspections over the summer.

Visit Reuters UK for full article
REPLIES (newest first) Page:  First Prev [ 1 ] 2 3 4 Next Last
PenDoctrJD
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Orange County

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Message Posted: 5/14/2008 10:52:56 AM  Ignore PenDoctrJD Report Abuse
go get 'em
EarlyMoose
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Seattle

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Message Posted: 5/14/2008 10:03:21 AM  Ignore EarlyMoose Report Abuse
I like how everyone says, "we can't do anything to help."
boniface4jesus
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Gary

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Message Posted: 5/14/2008 9:56:08 AM  Ignore boniface4jesus Report Abuse
I hope they check them more often there, and here, and not like the health department's surprise visits to restaurants, where we apparently are tipped off in advance, that they are on their way.

blairsgrove
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Toronto

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Message Posted: 5/14/2008 9:55:19 AM  Ignore blairsgrove Report Abuse
about time!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
colrhino
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Atlanta

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Message Posted: 5/14/2008 9:54:08 AM  Ignore colrhino Report Abuse
the least the gov't can do is ensure that the consumer receives what he or she pays for at the pump....
hangupanddrive
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Michigan

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Message Posted: 5/14/2008 9:48:48 AM  Ignore hangupanddrive Report Abuse
Worked for a gas station owner in my college years. They DO make little profit!! Its the oil companies making the big bucks! In fact, in later years the oil company I worked for ran my old gas station owner right out of business by excessive rent increases. The oil company simply wanted the station back in their total control and turn it into a Speedway. The days of mom and pop stations with repair facilities was on its way out.
acknot
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Seattle

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Message Posted: 5/14/2008 9:48:14 AM  Ignore acknot Report Abuse
Fine? What do you mean fine? Shut them down! Or at least inspect the pumps every six months.
Gerund1
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Toronto

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Message Posted: 5/14/2008 9:41:39 AM  Ignore Gerund1 Report Abuse
Its bad enough that we are being reamed on gas prices. If it can be proven that we are also being reamed by the pumps it just shows that the profit motive cares little for others.
esquared
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Oklahoma City

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Message Posted: 5/14/2008 9:41:14 AM  Ignore esquared Report Abuse
Can't do or won't do?
rockinrog
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Ontario

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Message Posted: 5/14/2008 9:35:14 AM  Ignore rockinrog Report Abuse
Like will hear about these fines being levied.
Japsmith
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Tacoma

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Message Posted: 5/14/2008 9:31:26 AM  Ignore Japsmith Report Abuse
As long as these gas retailers make more than $10,000 before they get caught I doubt anything will change. All is profit beyond the $10K they pocket for overcharging.
ariccougar
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Utah

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Message Posted: 5/14/2008 9:30:06 AM  Ignore ariccougar Report Abuse
They should do this in the USA. I dont trust gas station owners. They are always saying how they dont make enough money. And then realize that no one would know the difference if they "modified" the amount of fuel per gallon for a week or 2, it would definitely be an easy scam and could be widespread!
Egor
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Regina

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Message Posted: 5/14/2008 9:25:41 AM  Ignore Egor Report Abuse
That's going to do. There is probably very little problem at the pumps. But we are going to have to fund it with tax payer money. Thanks to the government we get to pay even more.
MacGyver_1701
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Indiana

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Message Posted: 5/14/2008 9:24:19 AM  Ignore MacGyver_1701 Report Abuse
accuracy inspections are critical at todays prices.
The_WB
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Detroit

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Message Posted: 5/14/2008 9:23:31 AM  Ignore The_WB Report Abuse
Tweaking is always a problem.
kingdick
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Minnesota

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Message Posted: 5/14/2008 9:18:36 AM  Ignore kingdick Report Abuse

In Minnesota I filled a 5 gallon gas can with 5.98 gallons on Monday.

I reported it to the state and was told that I must have a miss marked gas can.
But before this time it always took 5 gallons to fill it.

Bad Pump. Bad State Regulation.

Not just in Canada.
copperhead8
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Boston

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Message Posted: 5/14/2008 9:16:33 AM  Ignore copperhead8 Report Abuse
I hope it works
RochBear
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Minnesota

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Message Posted: 5/14/2008 9:15:53 AM  Ignore RochBear Report Abuse
I still think a honnest station manager, would want to check his pumps on a regular basis, and then post that he has Honnest pumps as a sales promotion. You get what you pay for - No more, no less.
The Bible even says, you should have honnest scales. And "Honnesty is the best policy". It just makes good business sense.
krmack
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Illinois

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Message Posted: 5/14/2008 9:14:13 AM  Ignore krmack Report Abuse
The taxes we pay for this government sector is already in place.
DST43
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Oklahoma

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Message Posted: 5/14/2008 9:09:01 AM  Ignore DST43 Report Abuse
they shouldn't have to take such measure as that if people was honest be we all know that is not the case...
McNasties
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Milwaukee

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Message Posted: 5/14/2008 9:07:01 AM  Ignore McNasties Report Abuse
They can't even enforce their simple immigration laws.
How can their legal system be taken seriously?
laddyboy62
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Riverside

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Message Posted: 5/14/2008 9:06:04 AM  Ignore laddyboy62 Report Abuse
well jeez...that makes sense...supposed to get what we pay for
glazarides
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Akron

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Message Posted: 5/14/2008 9:02:49 AM  Ignore glazarides Report Abuse
I've seen stories here in the States where station owners will make the pumps give less gas then they show and pay the fine because they still make a heck of a profit! The governments should throw in mandatory jail time, after all they are stealing!
phatride92
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Kansas

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Message Posted: 5/14/2008 9:00:50 AM  Ignore phatride92 Report Abuse
this action should have been in place before now!
kaaato
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Boston

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Message Posted: 5/14/2008 8:59:45 AM  Ignore kaaato Report Abuse
They can fine all they want - it will just be passed on to us!!
rod1965
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Portland

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Message Posted: 5/14/2008 8:54:17 AM  Ignore rod1965 Report Abuse
How about fining the oil companies too. They could help stop this by lowering prices and taking the hit.
radrunner
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Toronto

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Message Posted: 5/14/2008 8:53:51 AM  Ignore radrunner Report Abuse
the gov't. can't do anything because it doesn't want to.
kanmandoo
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Detroit

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Message Posted: 5/14/2008 8:51:27 AM  Ignore kanmandoo Report Abuse
I hope thats per pump, not per station!!!!!!!!!!!!!
spunky4443
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Washington

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Message Posted: 5/14/2008 8:49:13 AM  Ignore spunky4443 Report Abuse
They could fix the problem in Canada, if they wanted to, its just greed by the Gas Stations owners now.
brian77nc
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Durham

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Message Posted: 5/14/2008 8:49:10 AM  Ignore brian77nc Report Abuse
Right on, brother!
C5vette2004
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Little Rock

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Message Posted: 5/14/2008 8:46:22 AM  Ignore C5vette2004 Report Abuse
again... words
scrounger
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Vancouver

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Message Posted: 5/14/2008 8:45:45 AM  Ignore scrounger Report Abuse
should be fines of a $1,000,000.00!!!!
AC-302
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Los Angeles

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Message Posted: 5/14/2008 8:43:55 AM  Ignore AC-302 Report Abuse
Of course, the pump COULD be wrong the other way.. that is, dispensing more than is registered. But truthfully, how often does that happen? Be in US or Canada, station owners sometimes cheat us.
Sealer
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Charleston

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Message Posted: 5/14/2008 8:41:50 AM  Ignore Sealer Report Abuse
What's the fine for undercharging customers? That's equally likely.
Gassie1
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Akron

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Message Posted: 5/14/2008 8:37:34 AM  Ignore Gassie1 Report Abuse
A cheating pump should result in free gasoline for those cheated!
Dancin
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Toronto

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Message Posted: 5/14/2008 8:36:56 AM  Ignore Dancin Report Abuse
There is no indication of who to direct complaints to. If we suspect a pump is out of tolerance, how do we direct Measurement Canada ? What is the reporting mechanism ?
rjb21760
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Chicago

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Message Posted: 5/14/2008 8:35:17 AM  Ignore rjb21760 Report Abuse
A government agency doing their job and earning their keep, how novel.
bug27
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Kentucky

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Message Posted: 5/14/2008 8:33:49 AM  Ignore bug27 Report Abuse
Why are they just now inspecting/calibrating the pumps?
Viper1_00
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Worcester

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Message Posted: 5/14/2008 8:33:48 AM  Ignore Viper1_00 Report Abuse
Good for them
tobasco
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Los Angeles

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Message Posted: 5/14/2008 8:32:40 AM  Ignore tobasco Report Abuse
That is the least they can do.
marbljk
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Alabama

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Message Posted: 5/14/2008 8:29:24 AM  Ignore marbljk Report Abuse
Should've done that years ago.
artgirl02
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Illinois

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Message Posted: 5/14/2008 8:29:10 AM  Ignore artgirl02 Report Abuse
lets move to Canada
TerryLee
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Ohio

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Message Posted: 5/14/2008 8:27:38 AM  Ignore TerryLee Report Abuse
OLD OLD
throttle
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Maryland

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Message Posted: 5/14/2008 8:24:49 AM  Ignore throttle Report Abuse
old news
WillyG
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Cincinnati

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Message Posted: 5/14/2008 8:22:26 AM  Ignore WillyG Report Abuse
What a novel idea !
Brockvillian
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Ontario

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Message Posted: 5/14/2008 8:22:11 AM  Ignore Brockvillian Report Abuse
Make the fine higher like $100,000 that should keep most retailers in line and on top of their pump accuracy. :)
Somis1
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Ventura

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Message Posted: 5/14/2008 8:22:04 AM  Ignore Somis1 Report Abuse
I thought pumps everywhere were checked for accuracy...
JB1881
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New Mexico

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Message Posted: 5/14/2008 8:18:38 AM  Ignore JB1881 Report Abuse
Good for them?
HockeyLady
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New Jersey

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Message Posted: 5/14/2008 8:17:23 AM  Ignore HockeyLady Report Abuse
what a novel thought--protecting the consumer
imcruizn
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Georgia

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Message Posted: 5/14/2008 8:17:19 AM  Ignore imcruizn Report Abuse
they need to
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