Suspending portion of gas tax, strict pricing rules to save as much as $20 to fill a tank

SURREY – To protect drivers from rising prices at the pumps, David Eby will suspend a portion of the provincial gas tax to provide immediate relief, and he will crack down on corporate price gouging. Taken together, these measures are anticipated to save drivers up to 30 cents a litre and as much as $20 on every tank of gas.

“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,” said David Eby, BC NDP leader. “We will protect working families from price gouging during this uncertain time. Our plan to lower gas prices puts up to $100 back in your budget every single month for a typical two-car family in Surrey."

Eby noted that 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. Oil and gas companies then used the conflict to unfairly inflate their margins by 20 cents a litre at the expense of drivers and truckers, based on the latest data from the BC Utilities Commission. This corporate price gouging has cost British Columbians an estimated $865 million in added fuel costs, while the four largest Canadian oil companies doubled their quarterly profits to a staggering $13.3 billion. Donald Trump is now threatening a ban on diesel exports, which would cause diesel prices to skyrocket.

To support families while Trump’s harmful actions cost British Columbians, David Eby’s plan will include suspending the provincial motor fuel tax by 10 cents per litre on gasoline and diesel. The plan also includes a “price guard”, which will empower the BC Utilities Commission to enforce strict pricing rules and cap excess industry margins. Taken together, these actions will provide direct relief at the pumps – saving drivers up to 30 cents a litre and $20 per tank for an average family vehicle. Short-haul truck drivers will save as much as $116 every time they fill up a tank of diesel.

“No matter who is leading the BC Conservatives, we know they won’t stand up to big oil or grocery giants to lower your costs,” said Eby. “The choice in this election is clear: a team that will protect you and your family in uncertain times or one that would leave you to fend for yourself against powerful interests. We can’t afford Conservative chaos, cuts, or higher costs – especially right now.”

David Eby’s plan is making a difference – even as U.S. tariffs drive up prices:

Eliminated B.C.’s consumer carbon tax

Housing costs falling faster than any other province

Car insurance rates reduced by $500, then froze rates for seven years

Lowest middle-class taxes of any province

Cut childcare costs in half – on average, parents are saving more than $7,200 a year