It is estimated that each year, due to inaccurate measurement, the amount of gas that Canadian consumers receive is worth millions of dollars less than what they actually pay for at the gas pumps. That’s why our Government has introduced measures to ensure fairness at the gas pumps for Canadians consumers.

The proposed Fairness at the Pumps Act will make retailers more accountable for the accuracy of their pumps and protect consumers from paying more than they should at the gas station and other places where goods are measured. The Act will require retailers to have the accuracy of their measuring devices, such as gas pumps and retail food scales, certified at regular intervals.

 In addition, increased court-imposed fines of $10,000 for minor offences, $25,000 for major offences and up to $50,000 for repeat offences, as well as the introduction of administrative monetary penalties (AMPS,) will ensure appropriate deterrence against measurement inaccuracy.

The new act also proposes the creation of a network of authorized service providers, trained and certified by Measurement Canada, to perform inspections. The proposed use of independent non-governmental inspectors to fulfill mandatory inspection requirements will create business opportunities in communities, as well as allow Measurement Canada to leverage its resources to improve measurement accuracy and raise consumer confidence in the marketplace.

Under the Fairness at the Pumps Act, Measurement Canada inspectors will continue to assess the accuracy of measurement devices through independent inspections, as well as respond to complaints of inaccurate measurements and perform follow-up inspections of non-government inspectors. In addition, it will be the sole responsibility of Measurement Canada inspectors to take enforcement action when offences are indentified.

The Government of Canada takes measurement accuracy seriously. The proposed Fairness at the Pumps Act will raise consumer confidence and help ensure that Canadian consumers are treated fairly and are protected against unfair business practices.