Pre-pay policy now in effect at some gas stations to prevent fuel theft
The rising price of fuel in Ontario has forced some gas stations in Ottawa to put a new pre-pay policy in place.
The policy is to prevent fuel theft because the owners allege many drivers were taking off without paying.
Surveillance video provided by one of the owners shows a person filling their tank then driving off. The owner says the person didn’t pay.
A sign at two different gas stations in Ottawa reads, “Prepay only, due to too many people trying to leave without paying. We are a family-owned business and cannot absorb the losses.”
“Whatever they got to do to prevent them from getting ripped off,” said one resident filling up on Saturday. “They gotta do what they gotta do.”
“It’s probably a result of the price. Many people cannot afford,” said another resident.
“People are just driving off and not paying for gas. It could be the reason that the prices are very high,” said Khushpreet Singh, who works at one of the stations with the policy in place.
Gas prices are still on the rise in Ontario. An increase in Canada’s carbon pricing plan pushed prices up on Friday.
“It’s a good idea for the federal government to at least consider a moratorium and perhaps rebates on that HST they are collecting on the much higher price,” said Dan McTeague, the president of Canadians for Affordable Energy.
As people fuel up, the pre-pay policy has prevented more thefts.
“After that we don’t have any drive offs,” said Singh. “It happened like twice a week before.”
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
B.C. seeks ban on public drug use, dialing back decriminalization
The B.C. NDP has asked the federal government to recriminalize public drug use, marking a major shift in the province's approach to addressing the deadly overdose crisis.
Orca calf that was trapped in B.C. lagoon for weeks swims free
An orca whale calf that has been stranded in a B.C. lagoon for weeks after her pregnant mother died swam out on her own early Friday morning.
Trump's lawyers try to discredit testimony of prosecution's first witness in hush money trial
Donald Trump's defence team attacked the credibility Friday of the prosecution's first witness in his hush money case, seeking to discredit testimony detailing a scheme between Trump and a tabloid to bury negative stories to protect the Republican's 2016 presidential campaign.
Sophie Gregoire Trudeau on navigating post-political life, co-parenting and freedom
Sophie Gregoire Trudeau says there is 'still so much love' between her and Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, as they navigate their post-separation relationship co-parenting their three children.
Air traveller complaints to Canadian Transportation Agency hit new high
The Canadian Transportation Agency has hit a record high of more than 71,000 complaints in a backlog. The quasi-judicial regulator and tribunal tasked with settling disputes between customers and the airlines says the backlog is growing because the number of incoming complaints keeps increasing.
More than 115 cases of eye damage reported in Ontario after solar eclipse
More than 115 people who viewed the solar eclipse in Ontario earlier this month experienced eye damage after the event, according to eye doctors in the province.
'I was scared': Ontario man's car repossessed after missing two repair loan payments
An Ontario man who took out a loan to pay for auto repairs said his car was repossessed after he missed two payments.
76ers All-Star centre Joel Embiid says he has Bell's palsy
Philadelphia 76ers All-Star centre Joel Embiid has been diagnosed with Bell’s palsy, a form of facial paralysis he says has affected him since before the play-in tournament.
U.S. flight attendant indicted in attempt to record teen girl in airplane bathroom
An American Airlines flight attendant was indicted Thursday after authorities said he tried to secretly record video of a 14-year-old girl using an airplane bathroom last September.