Northeast towns aim to use ads to sway gas prices
CBC News
Posted: Feb 10, 2012 2:16 PM ET
Last Updated: Feb 10, 2012 2:11 PM ET
It is hoped by political officials in northeastern Ontario that a series of radio ads will help reduce the price of gas at the pumps. (Nathan Denette/Canadian Press)
Taxpayers in the Temiskaming area could soon be paying for radio ads telling them the price of gas at local stations.
The ads would list the most expensive station, the cheapest, as well as prices from elsewhere in Ontario.
Temiskaming Shores Mayor Carman Kidd said drivers in his city pay about 15 cents more per litre than in other parts of the Northeast.
He hopes these daily radio ads will change that.
"We're looking it at as a service to the public,” Kidd said. “If we can save somebody $10 dollars on a fill-up and hopefully keep prices a little lower than they have been in the past."
The ads would cost about $5,200, to run daily for six months.
But before they go to air, the idea needs to get approved by all 26 municipalities in Temiskaming.
Kidd said just talking about this idea last month had an impact.
"We immediately [saw] the price go down about four cents a litre there during that same week,” Kidd said. “And then they slowly creeped back up again."
Kidd said he hopes the ads will air on radio stations in Kirkland Lake and Temiskaming Shores this spring.
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