- by Hub staff

At the July 23 Owen Sound city council meeting, Councillor Peter Lemon stated that oil companies had been victimizing Owen Sound residents - that they were charging ten cents more per litre at the pump here than in our neighbouring municipalities and had been doing so for six weeks. He claimed that this had happened "a number of years ago" and council then wrote to the sitting MP and MPP and "lo and behold, the price became rational again with the rest of Ontario".

We reviewed GasBuddy.com today, and the current Owen Sound price per litre is comparable to Barrie and Durham, but 4 cents higher on average than Collingwood and Meaford.

The notice of motion reads: "THAT City Council directs staff to send a letter to the MP and MPP for Bruce-Grey-Owen Sound asking for their help in making the oil companies explain why their gas pricing can vary so much even between neighbouring municipalities."

Lemon admitted that this was not a municipal issue, but it impacted Owen Sound residents.

This was the same meeting when there was no discussion at all of the request from the unionized staff of the Family Health Organization for support from city council to help end the on-going labour dispute.

Deputy Mayor Arlene Wright said "We choose not to get involved. It is simply not our purview."

Purview: the range or limit of authority, competence, responsibility, concern, or intention (Merriam-Webster)