The PUB is making changes to how fuel price regulation is set. That will result in some fuel price increases to be brought in gradually – something one long-time advocate is welcoming.

The changes bring this province closer to how fuel price regulation is set in other Atlantic provinces.

Dan McTeague has been monitoring fuel prices across the country for years through Canadians for Affordable Energy. He’s long been critical of how the PUB has regulated fuel prices and welcomes the change even though it could increase prices at the pumps.

McTeague admits that nobody wants to see prices increase, but in this case, it will help level the playing field for retailers and distributors who, in some cases, have been unfairly shouldering the inflationary burden.

“A lot of fuel operations, distributors, suppliers and stations themselves are finding it more and more difficult to try to make ends meet. Prices have gone up for just about everything…but they haven’t gone up for the cost allowed by retailers to operate, so I’m not surprised.”