N.B. premier shares concerns about gas stations closing from added carbon adjuster costs

New Brunswick Premier Susan Holt says concerns about gas stations closing are valid, following the Liberal government’s decision to remove carbon adjuster costs from the price of fuel.

The legislation, tabled Wednesday, is meant to save drivers about four cents a litre at the pump.

Interim Progressive Conservative leader Glen Savoie says retailers will have to make up that difference, adding that many won’t be able to.

“It is going to cause some of these retailers to take that infrastructure out, and say ‘my business can no longer handle the loss, I’m going to take offering fuel services away,’” says Savoie. “I think about what that is going to mean for our communities.”

Holt says she “absolutely” shares the same concerns.

“In some cases, some of those small local retailers are in rural communities and they’re the only gas station around for quite a distance,” says Holt. “So losing some of that infrastructure in rural communities is a concern. That’s why there’s work to be done with the EUB and with others to see how they’re going to react to this and what choices they’ll make.”

Holt says she’s reluctant to interfere with the Energy and Utilities Board and its decision making process. Green Party leader David Coon says the government has a responsibility to act, if retailers run into problems because of the change.

“This is the legislature, they’re the government,” says Coon. “There’s a way of ensuring those retail gas stations can be kept whole, if that’s necessary.”

Finance Minister Rene Legacy says the government intends to remove carbon adjuster on fuel prices “as soon as possible,” with royal assent happening before the end of the year.

Holt says there’s a possibility in the future the government may remove the EUB and fuel price regulations altogether.

“We want to understand whether that’s an option that would benefit New Brunswickers,” says Holt.

For more New Brunswick news, visit our dedicated provincial page.