Canadian Tire fined for fixing gas prices

Three companies, including Canadian Tire Corp., have pleaded guilty to fixing gasoline prices in southeastern Ontario, resulting in combined fines of $2 million, the national Competition Bureau says.

Canadian Tire Corp., Pioneer Energy LP and Mr. Gas pleaded guilty to charges under the Competition Act that they consulted with each other between May and November 2007 to set gasoline prices in Kingston and Brockville, the bureau said.

The charges were the result of an extensive investigation that followed evidence local representatives of these companies were making phone calls to each other to set gas prices during the time in question, the bureau said.

“Consumers in Kingston and Brockville were denied a competitive price for gasoline as a result of this criminal price-fixing cartel,” Melanie Aitken, the commissioner of competition, said in a statement. The bureau said Canadian Tire was fined $900,000, Pioneer $985,000 and Mr. Gas $150,000.

A Canadian Tire spokeswoman, Liz Hamilton, said the company began its own internal probe four years ago after being informed the Competition Bureau was conducting an investigation.

She said it was found just one individual — a manager who oversaw gasoline stations in the Kingston and Brockville areas — was involved in the price fixing.