BC’s Eby Promises to Temporarily Suspend Gas Tax, Regulate Prices at the Pump

B.C. NDP Leader David Eby speaks during a provincial election campaign announcement at the DP World Fairview Container Terminal at port, in Prince Rupert, B.C., on Sept. 28, 2026. The Canadian Press/Darryl Dyck

British Columbia NDP Leader David Eby is promising relief at the gas pumps under a re-elected government, and he has a plan to crack down on corporate price gouging.

Eby says he government would temporarily suspend the provincial motor fuel tax by 10 cents per litre for gas and diesel, while introducing what he calls a “price guard” to crack down on gouging at the pump.

If re-elected on Oct. 24, Eby says his government would ask the B.C. Utilities Commission to set the maximum price that fuel stations can charge, which would be updated weekly as the benchmark price for crude oil fluctuates.

He says those measures would save a typical two-car family up to $100 a month.

Eby made the announcement while campaigning in Surrey, a riding-rich area the NDP needs to win if it’s to form government.

The NDP leader says big oil and gas companies have been exploiting conflicts overseas to make record profits, leaving ordinary drivers and truckers paying the price every time they fill up.

“We will protect working families from price gouging during this uncertain time,” he says in a statement.