Cornwall Ontario – Here’s an issue you kinda sorta can’t blame the government on. While the high cost of gasoline is heavily taxed, if you live in this part of Ontario seeing 20-30 cent price swings per litre is a regular occurrence.
That can be over a freaking $1.00 per US gallon!
What we seem to have is essentially price fixing of a sort as the prices are usually step in step. There are two major chains in our area, MacEwen’s/Esso and Shell brands.
People have been complaining for years, but governments won’t do anything as they make heavy tax dollars by the manipulation of prices, and they are being manipulated and mostly have nothing to do with any external issues.
Living in Cornwall many of us gas up on “the rez”. So many of us do that they make it easy for us and show the conversion at the many of the stations on the US side of Akwesasne. This week saw prices above $1.30 in Cornwall while about $1.20 in nearby Alexandria. On the rez, with conversion, $1.00 per litre. In fact prices rarely show much jump on the US side unless there’s a real stimulus in the market up or down. (Isn’t it funny how it goes up faster than the price drops? )
And as crazy as this may sound it appears it’s all the same gasoline and all from the same refineries.
So if it’s not the government, and it’s not external issues like storms or war, why do our prices in Cornwall simply rise and flow so drastically and regularly for something almost all of you reading this need to survive, and why do people do nothing about it? And what should the price of fuel be based on the cost of a barrel of oil?
Are you willing to try? To at least send a message? We know that we generally can’t go long without gassing up, but we can send a message.
So for this week, from May 7 through 14th, 2018 do not buy a drop of gas from MacEwen’s. It’s not that they are the villains or a bad company. It’s just their turn first. Nada. Don’t even stop for coffee. Send them a message that we’re tired of being gouged and jerked around with gas prices. Surely we drivers can do that for one week?
In fact, if you’re really feeling energetic call them @ 1-800-267-7175.
Are you mad? Have you had enough of being jerked around with no defense for something that it is critical to life and an essential need until we move into Electric cars?
And if we don’t see any price stability by the 14th then it’ll be Shell’s turn from the 15th to the 22nd.
Loading ...While we know this is an issue across Canada, in this area we can make a difference.
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Gas gouging isn’t an Eastern Ontario only problem. Look at BC, $1.60/litre. I agree gas prices are an issue. But boycotting one company just gives profits to another for the boycott period. So, the solution is no further along.
When I get upset after the gas price gouge, and need gas, then I gas up and buy a liter of gas then I pay with my credit card. The stations hate that and they actually lose money on that. If they say anything I simply say that I have no cash or debit, then I smile LOL
Hugger we have two main distribs in our area. Alternating boycotts of each clearly sends a message without truly being punitive. If people evolved this pattern I have a hunch we wouldn’t see the gouging practice continue.
Agreed. But as other boycotts have proven it rarely achieves the desired effect in the gas and other industries.
Hugger I think if we could get a few thousand people in this area to try this you’d be surprised. It’s not about hurting any company. It’s about simply sending a message that this isn’t acceptable and causing enough pressure to hopefully change things. These companies are not anyone’s enemies. They simply are exploiting people knowing that historically nothing ever truly is done.
I’ve been tanking up across the bridge for a very long time. I rarely buy fuel in Cornwall among other things. My wife tanks up in Alexandria.
I always prefer to support local when I can. Paying over 30% more though is beyond my limits. The only way to make change is to be the change.
Jamie, my parents live in Alexandria were the gas is consistently 10 cents below Cornwall prices and that includes the MacEwen on the North side of town. And the worst part of it is when your driving to Quebec the prices are the same in Western Quebec than they are in Cornwall. You boycott one company per week!
Monday – MacEwen (McConnell, 138)
Tuesday- Esso (Boundary/Marleau)
Wednesday – Ultramar (McConnell)
Thursday – Cdn Tire (9th)
Friday – Shell (2nd / Marlborough)
Saturday – Petro (Brookdate @401)
Something has to be done!
Bob you need to boycott longer than one day. A week is the perfect amount of time to make a real statement.
I agree in principle. But as I said earlier boycotts rarely, if ever, achieve the desired success of sending a message to any company. And getting a few thousand people to agree on anything in this area is next to impossible. They know in th end you’ll come whimpering back to the old ways.
One day boycotts do nothing. Sure, there income is down one day but spikes the next day.
Thus the rotating weekly boycotts Hugger and if they don’t work at first you up it to two weeks and then a month.
I wish you luck. Oil companies are prepared for the ups and downs.