"In my view, the applicant's motion should be denied," Black said in a point-by-point dismantling of the company's request for "interim" price increases. The immediate increase is necessary, it said, because of financial pressures that have arisen in the industry during the COVID-19 pandemic. Hafsah Mohammad of Grassroots NB, who joined the hearing by Zoom, questioned Irving Oil on the specific causes of the financial trouble the company says it is experiencing. He said that if other oil companies had written to the board, Irving Oil would be accused of orchestrating the effort. Also opposing the application for interim increases were the community groups Grassroots NB, The Common Front for Social Justice, Leap4wards and Fredericton Solidarity, as well as the Canadian Union of Public Employees.

Source: CBC News February 05, 2021 22:41 UTC