2005/09/19 (3) The City of Niagara Falls, Ontario
Council Chambers
No. 11 September 19, 200~
Moved by Alderman DIODATI
Seconded by Alderman PIETRANGELO
WHEREAS Canadian consumers have witnessed skyrocketing gas prices in recent weeks; and
WHEREAS many have attributed the increases to recent natural disasters in the United States; and
WHEREAS despite recent natural disasters in the United States, Canada did not face a shortage in gasoline
or an increase in costs; and
WHEREAS experts, economists and analysts have attributed the increases to a dearth of competition in the
wholesale gasoline sector; and
WHEREAS the wholesale gasoline sector is dominated by a handful of refining companies who exclusively
share infrastructure, such as pipelines and terminals; and
WHEREAS it is speculated that the recent increase in gas prices meant pure profit for gasoline wholesalers;
and
WHEREAS without a sufficient number of competitors, price competition does not exist; and
WHEREAS supply and demand economics only exist when there are numerous competitors
THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that Niagara Falls City Council support the Canadian Independent
Petroleum Marketers Association's (C.I.P.M.A) idea of asking the Federal Government to intervene in the
wholesale gasoline sector to restore the free market system of competition; and
FURTHER BE IT RESOLVED that this resolution be circulated to area municipalities, the Regional
Municipality of Niagara and the Association of Municipalities of Ontario (A.M.O).
AND The Seal of the Corporation be hereto affixed.
Carried Unanimously.
DEAN IO~ID~A~ '
R. T. (TED) SALCI
CITY CLERK MAYOR