Dear editor,
Gas price gouging has to end. The gasoline marketers are gouging Cochranites and visitors to our community.
The day I wrote this letter, fuel at Costco in southwest Calgary (only 35 kilometres away from Cochrane) was $1.17 for regular grade gasoline and $1,31 for premium. I filled up and saved over $20 on a tank of fuel.
I have followed pricing differentials on fuel for over 30 years, as I previously worked for a large fuel company, and would argue what we see today is unprecedented price gouging. It is not related to the price of crude but has changed a lot since Cochrane has seen the major corporations take control of most stations – I.E., Esso and Mobile (who are the same company), PetroCan, and Fas Gas.
Local grocery stores are complicit in this as they do not price with Calgary. Cochrane is inside the Calgary market sphere and should be priced in line with what Calgary is offering.
Bearspaw's gas was 10 cents cheaper per litre the week I wrote this, What can consumers do, other than shop for groceries and gas in Calgary until the pricing people at the oil companies start to treat Cochranites with respect?
Respectfully from an ex oil person, I ask that local gas stations stop fleecing us.
Ray Kuntz
Mitford
