I just wanted to post a quick reminder that as of July 1 (Tuesday), a carbon tax will be in effect for most fuels sold in B.C.

View the provincial government’s website for more information on the tax. And if you haven’t already, take a couple of minutes to check out the two videos we filmed on the topic (they were posted on June 5 and June 12).

Of course, July 1 is important for another reason as well – Happy Canada Day! However you choose to celebrate the country’s birthday this year, I hope you have a great day. But like Jon said before the long weekend in May, remember to be safe. This is always an important message, but an especially good reminder around the holidays.

There are many serious topics when it comes to gas prices.  They fill the papers and the nightly news each day.  We've also covered a few of them in the last few weeks here on Pump Talk.  But every now and then a reporter finds a new angle that cuts through the standard stuff.  This time, it's the story of a young couple facing a choice betwen love and the gas pump.  I'm betting on love.  And the Pump Talk Love Guru is offering some advice.

On Thursday, the Bureau announced that criminal charges have been laid following an investigation into retail gasoline pricing practices in southeastern Quebec. You can read the news release here.  While the charges do not involve Petro-Canada employees or Petro-Canada retailers, it’s the type of story that may leave you and other drivers with lots of questions.  So I thought I’d share some of our thinking on the story.

A carbon tax will take effect in BC as of July 1, 2008.

After talking to some people in Vancouver (watch the carbon tax video I posted last week), I learned that some people know all about the carbon tax; others are a little less informed.

If you fall into the latter category, check out this second video (below or via YouTube) on how much the tax will cost you and what the government has planned to mitigate the impact on consumers.

NOTE: in the video, you will hear about specific tax rates for gasoline and diesel. Since filming, these rates have been reduced. Here are the new rates.

I've received a few media calls on this article today put out by Canwest, so thought I'd clear the air.   There are no television screens on our pumps, which means Petro-Canada does not have the capability to run third party ads of any kind.  I called the politician who referenced us in the article to inform him that we are, in fact, TV-free.

Now before you say you've seen a TV on one of our pumps, we have experimented with the technology in limited areas.  But any advertising is purely in-house, focusing on our in-store offers.  Like our selection of yummy Panini's at Neighbours.  Ok, that was an ad.  Will stop now.