The provincial government has announced restricted access to gas for 10-11 days in some parts of B.C. and that has led to people in Burnaby panic buying gas at some stations around the city.
Mike Farnworth, B.C.’s minister of public safety and solicitor general, said Friday access to gas will be prioritized for emergency and essential vehicles, granting them unrestricted access to gas using commercial card-lock stations.
Non-essential vehicles used by average British Columbian will be restricted to 30 litres of gas per visit in southwestern B.C. (from Metro Vancouver east to Hope), Vancouver Island and the Sunshine Coast.
This led to many Burnaby gas stations seeing lineups as people rushed to get gas – with some people reporting waiting as long as 30 minutes.
And with Farnworth saying the gas restriction will be on an “honour system” many people were filling up with more than 30 litres.
It’s all so predictable.
All this week, shoppers were panic buying toilet paper, meat, eggs and other items due to supply chain concerns caused by the flood situation.
Farnworth indicated that the 30-litre limit would be enforced through the honour system.
“They’re [British Columbians] going to do the right thing. Will there be people that want to … [not] abide by that? Yes, there will. But the overwhelming majority of people will do the right thing,” he said, adding those who don’t abide by the new restriction could face “a significant fine of about $2,000.”
“We can’t have a police officer at every gas station.”
In the last half hour sitting in a gas station lineup-some drivers yelling at others, honking horns, clearly stressed. It doesn’t help anyone. Grateful for others who are kind & patient, helping things to run smoothly.
— Susan L Greig (@SusanLGreig) November 20, 2021
Please Lower Mainland… we are all in this together.
Farnworth said the province has a “reduced but steady supply of gasoline” and that more would be coming in via truck and barge from Alberta, Washington state, Oregon and California.
In the meantime, he’s urging British Columbians to consider using transit, or else carpooling or walking to their destinations.
- With files from Tyler Orton, Business in Vancouver
