An Alberta refinery could help with squeezed gas supply in B.C.: Premier Horgan

LANGFORD, B.C. – British Columbia Premier John Horgan says Alberta may be the best place to boost refining capacity to increase a supply of fuel to the province.

The price of gasoline has been rising in B.C. for the last month and the cost for a litre of gas in Metro Vancouver has been hovering around $1.70.

Horgan says part of the problem is there's too much demand and not enough supply, but adds that a 30-cent rise in gas prices in the last three months appears to be a result of gouging by oil companies.

The premier says most refineries are close to the source of the product and because Alberta has more expertise, that may be the better location for new refining capacity.

In 2014, B.C. newspaper mogul David Black had proposed a $13-billion oil refinery on B.C.'s northern coast, and Horgan says he encourages Black to bring the plan forward to go through the regulatory and environmental process.

Metro Vancouver drivers pay over 50 cents a litre in taxes to the federal and provincial governments and for carbon and transit taxes.