NDP MPP Gilles Bisson says gas prices must be regulated to prevent the kind of price gouging that Ontarians are being faced with this week.

"Dalton McGuinty has done nothing to protect drivers from sky-rocketing gas prices," Bisson said.

Across Ontario gas prices have increased as much as twenty cents per litre, after a fire last week at the Imperial Oil Refinery in Nanticoke. Not only have gas stations that are supplied by Imperial Oil raised their prices, reports also indicate that stations completely unaffected by the shortages are raising prices as well.

“Ontarians are having a hard time understanding the reason for the spike in gas prices. They’re asking themselves why chains that have no supply problems need to raise their prices as well,” said Bisson. “And it’s a good question, one that the McGuinty Liberals should be asking and should be acting on. They should be telling families who work hard to make ends meet, that they are acting to regulate gas prices to prevent gouging.”

While Energy Minister Dwight Duncan said that Ontario has no power to protect consumers, the fact that five other provinces have already passed gas price regulation legislation to stop these kinds of rip-offs shows that Duncan is wrong, Bisson said.

“Gas price regulation is a fresh idea that will make a real difference for drivers. " Bisson said.