Quebec moves to remove floor price on gasoline, make retail market more competitive

Annabelle Olivier · CBC News

· Posted: Apr 14, 2025 9:47 AM EDT | Last Updated: 4 minutes ago

Quebec is moving to remove the level terms connected gasoline and different fuels, Economy Minister Christine Fréchette announced Monday successful a quality release.

"Our extremity … is to amended contention truthful that Quebecers wage little for their gas," Fréchette said successful the release, adding that the determination volition besides assistance protect the system and consumers.

A level terms is the lowest ineligible terms that tin beryllium paid successful a marketplace for goods and services.

In Quebec, the level terms for gas was written into Quebec's Petroleum Products Act and was introduced successful the 1990s.  It was intended to forestall larger players successful the state marketplace from undercutting smaller players.

The existent mechanism, the quality merchandise reads,"limits contention betwixt retailers and, arsenic a result, leads to higher prices successful the agelong term."

"It nary longer has its place," said Fréchette's parliamentary assistant, Samuel Poulin.

The authorities besides wants to boost transparency astir state prices, truthful consumers tin beryllium amended informed. 

Starting successful 2026, retailers volition beryllium required to study immoderate changes successful gasoline and diesel substance prices to Quebec's vigor board, Régie de l'énergie, in existent time. The committee volition past beryllium required to marque the accusation disposable online.

To implement the caller measures, the authorities volition beryllium proposing amendments to Bill 69, an Act to guarantee the liable governance of vigor resources.

The amended measure volition past person to beryllium passed into law.