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Gas Is Still $1.81 a Litre: Why Pump Prices Won't Fall (and What to Do Before Winter)

  Canadians hoping for relief at the pump got bad news heading into this week: it isn't coming soon. The national average for regular gas was $1.81 a litre on Friday, according to Kalibrate, with provincial averages ranging from $1.557 in Alberta to $2.156 in Newfoundland, per GasBuddy. That's after a big policy move. On Friday the G7 announced plans to release 100 million barrels of oil right away, starting with diesel. Brent crude dipped on the news, then climbed back to about US$102 a barrel by the afternoon. Don't expect the release to show up at your station, because crude is only half the story. Crude oil explains only half your pump price Wood Mackenzie's Jim Mitchell says crude makes up 50 to 60 per cent of the retail price of gas. The rest is the cost of refining it, and that's where the squeeze is. Bank of Canada Governor Tiff Macklem pointed to damaged refining capacity worldwide in a Sept. 21 speech, noting that pump prices reflect crude roughly US$40 a ...

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BMO Faces $4‑Million Penalty for Long‑Running Customer Overcharges



The Bank of Montreal has been fined $4 million by Canada’s federal banking regulator after an internal review revealed the bank had overcharged more than 100,000 customers enrolled in discounted banking plans. The issue spanned over a decade and affected clients who were supposed to receive reduced or waived fees through specialized programs.

According to the regulator, the bank failed to apply fee waivers correctly and did not clearly disclose when discounted pricing would begin. As a result, customers in programs for newcomers, students in medical and dental fields, Indigenous clients, and mortgage‑related plans were charged fees they should not have paid.

BMO has refunded millions to affected customers and made additional donations in cases where refunds were not possible. The bank stated that it self‑reported the issue and has since updated its internal processes to prevent similar errors.

The fine highlights the ongoing scrutiny of consumer protection practices within Canada’s major financial institutions and reinforces the expectation that banks must ensure accurate, transparent fee structures.


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