VICTORIA – This afternoon New Democrat Energy Critic John Horgan will be tabling petitions with over 18,000 signatures calling on the B.C. government to take action to protect consumers from gas gouging.

“Consumers in B.C. know they are being hosed at the pumps, and they want answers,” said Horgan, the MLA for Malahat - Juan de Fuca. “That is why thousands of concerned citizens signed this petition in an attempt to get the government to pay attention.”

CKNW World Today host Jon McComb collected the petitions as part of the “Fight Back Fridays” campaign, which aimed to raise awareness about high gas prices in Greater Vancouver.

The text of the petition reads: “Gasoline prices in the region are among the highest in North America due in part to the uncompetitive nature of the industry. Your petitioners respectfully request that the Honourable House take whatever action is necessary to protect consumers from unfair prices.”

Horgan’s Retail Petroleum Consumer Protection Act would protect consumers from wildly fluctuating gasoline prices by giving the B.C. Utilities Commission the power to regulate gas prices. The Bill remains before the Legislature.