Northwest is off the map when it comes to new BCUC Gas Info page launch

The BCUC has created a new online portal to explain
gas pricing in British Columbia

The British Columbia Utilities Commission has followed up on last years work on its investigation into Gas pricing in the province and as part of their work they have now launched a new online tool for British Columbians called GaspricesBC.ca

The new portal comes following legislation in the province last year designed to bring transparency to gas pricing in the province.

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The project was announced on Tuesday and provides for a look at a range of material to explain how
the gasoline industry works from refining to retail and how the various elements impact on Price factors when we fill up our vehicles.

Yet if you live west of Prince George, there doesn't seem to be much of interest for anyone to take note of, and for the most part the BCUC site doesn't take much note of us either.

The website has four categories which focus on items of note for residents:

BC Fuel Info 
A relay some of the Frequently Asked Quesitons that they have received 
Explanations as to how you can get in touch with the BCUC
Details into British Columbia's Fuel Transparency Act

In a section called Price Factors the website offers up a range of options to explore pricing of gas in the province, featuring a drop down menu that offers up a number Canadian cities and a few in British Columbia that serve as benchmark locations we imagine.

Though if you want to know how say Prince Rupert compares to Terrace or Smithers and how all of those factors may impact on our price at the pump, you're somewhat out of luck, with little in the way of guidance for those outside of the larger centres.

The opening page to the project notes that improvements and enhancements will be made to website based on feedback from British Columbians.

So perhaps with some gentle prodding from those off the beaten track of the current focus, those living in areas not on the BCUC radar may also get to find some useful participation in their new portal.

You can take a tour of the Gas Prices in BC site here.

For now, we'll just have to use the old fashioned drive by method to scope out the price of gas, which at the moment sits at 1.04 in the Prince Rupert area.

To do your own comparison for the region, you can always explore the contributions to the GasBuddy website

It doesn't explain why the gas costs so much, but it at least knows that the Northwest is still part of the province.

More notes on items from the British Columbia Legislature can be found here.