anchored ships at the Port of Vancouver, the largest port in Canada, which was cut off from the rest of the country on account of the weather conditions. It is said to move around $550 million worth of cargo each day, and therefore, staples such as food supplies, and goods which were to be sold ahead of Christmas were expected to be delayed in reaching store shelves in Canada.
Against this backdrop, the local government of B.C. announced limits on the amount of fuel in selected parts of the province, while restrictions were also imposed on non-essential travel as highways began reopening following torrential rains. Under the new order, which is expected to last till 1 December, non-essential vehicles will only be able to purchase up to 30 litres (eight gallons) per trip to the gas station, Provincial Public Safety Minister Mike Farnworth said.
“These steps will keep commercial traffic moving, stabilise our supply chains and make sure everyone gets home safely,” he said during a news conference. “We are asking people not to travel through severely affected areas, for their own well-being, but also to make sure the fuel we do have goes toward the services people need in this time of crisis.”
Concerns about a fuel shortage in Vancouver Island and B.C.’s Lower Mainland have arisen following the precautionary closure of the Trans Mountain Pipeline during the flooding. Nevertheless, Farnworth revealed that gas stations will not be patrolled by police officers in order to ensure customers comply with the new regulations. “The majority of British Columbians will do the right thing,” he said. “If we are greedy, we will fail. It´s that´s simple.”
