April 12th, 1976

what is done in the market place is not provided for in the Municipal
Act ~- which clearly identifies the responsibility of a City Council.
Alderman Traboulay referred to an article in the April 6th, 1976 issue
of the Vancouver Sun wherein it was stated that Social Credit M.L.A. for
the Skeena area, Mr.-Cyril! Shelford, had called for the tabling of a
motion asking for a stop to limiting by the Councils of the number of
self-serve outlets in municipalities, and pointing out the fact that
this request had come from a member of a free enterprise government.
Alderman Traboulay further stated he felt that Mr. Walmesiey should have
directed his letter to the Provincial Government if he felt his Company
was being unfairly restricted. Mr. Walmesley advised that Mr. Shelford
was a member of the Royal Commission that investigated thoroughly the
marketing practices of the oil companies, the distribution of gasoline
throughout the Province, and the inequities in pricing, etc., and after
their deliberations were made known, very little came out ef what had
been recommended take place; however, with respect to the remarks of
Cyril Shelford in the Sun, this had to do with the price of gasoline
f.o.b. refinery, and he stated he did not recall any comments with
respect to self-serves. Mr. Walmesley then stated he had not direczed
his letter to the Provincial Government, as he had no quarrel with them
and he again reiterated his view that the Council should be governed by
the regulations of the Municipal Act and not interfere in the market
place. Alderman Thompson inquired as to what Mr. Walmesley felt would
be a fair percentage of outlets to be self-serve, and Mr. Walmesley
advised that his company sees the market place in B.C. as probably
requiring about 30% of a probable 350 outlets to be self-serve, as there
will be a continuing phase-out of marginal or uneconomical stations.

Alderman Thompson inquired as to why self-serves are needed now when

they were not previously, and Mr. Walmesley advised that in the last

three years service at conventional outlets has not been as good on the
whole, and that the word ‘service’ has to be defined as to whether it
pertains to service in the front end (gasoline sales) or service in the
back end (mechanical repairs); also, operators cannot afford the escalated
cost of front end help. Mr. Walmesley then agreed with the query of
Mayor Campbell that his company would be satisfied if the limit on self-
serves was 15% for each oil company in Port Coquitlam. Mayor Campbell

thanked Mr. Walmesley for his presentation, and Mr. Walmesley, in expressing