Gasoline Pricing Contract Awarded

An independent study and analysis into wholesale and retail gasoline pricing in Nova Scotia has been awarded to Gardner Pinfold Consulting Economists Ltd. in association with MJ Ervin & Associates.

"It's a very complex industry and we need the best and most up to date information possible in order to make good decisions," said Service Nova Scotia and Municipal Relations Minister Barry Barnet. "Gasoline prices affect every Nova Scotian and every sector of the economy, the study will help us understand the potential impact of any government actions."

Gardner Pinfold/MJ Ervin was selected following a competitive bidding process and the report is due for completion by Sept. 30. The value of the contract is $170,000.

Work on the report, which was agreed to as part of Bill 79, the Petroleum Product Pricing Act, will begin immediately.

New regulations to allow for the collection of information relating to gasoline pricing have also been put in place under Bill 79, said Mr. Barnet.

"We have a lot of anecdotal information, now we need to translate that into the bottom line, dollars and cents so we have a complete picture from a business case perspective," he said. "Without that there is no way to tell what options may work."

The new regulations allow Service Nova Scotia and Municipal Relations to obtain information from wholesalers and retailers relating to price and margin data, supply contracts between retailers and wholesalers as well as exchange agreements between wholesalers and refiners operating in the province.