B.C. driver tries to sue companies over 'inordinately high' gas prices

A driver who'd had enough of British Columbia's rising gas prices attempted to sue the companies he felt were behind the costs.

A driver who'd had enough of British Columbia's rising gas prices attempted to sue the companies he felt were behind the costs.

With a legal team, Antonio Pantusa represented himself and other consumers in a class-action battle against Parkland Fuel Corporation, Suncor Energy Incorporated, Imperial Oil Limited, Shell Canada Limited and Husky Energy Incorporated.

The case was heard in January, and a judgment was issued via videoconference last week. 

Court documents that summarize the judge's reasoning say that Pantusa claimed the price for gas over the last seven years in B.C. has been "inordinately high," something the plaintiff attributed to the "unconscionable pricing practices" of the companies named in the suit.

Those companies are the refiners and wholesale marketers of most of the gas sold on the West Coast.

Pantusa's lawyers told the court the defendants had been "systematically overcharging" their customers, who then pass on those high costs to drivers.

He sought damages to compensate himself and other drivers for the alleged overcharge, court documents said. The other drivers all purchased gas in B.C. for personal use between Jan. 1, 2015, and the date of the suit.