Quebec Gas Price-Fixers Found Guilty


OTTAWA, ONTARIO--(Marketwire - March 22, 2013) - Following a thorough investigation by the Competition Bureau and a lengthy trial before the Quebec Superior Court, three individuals have been found guilty today for their role in a gasoline price-fixing conspiracy in Sherbrooke and Magog, Quebec.

Michel Lagrandeur, Linda Proulx and Yves Gosselin were found guilty for conspiring to fix the price of retail gasoline at the pump, and are scheduled to be sentenced at a later date. The trial for these individuals took place between January 8 and February 27, 2013.

"Today's guilty verdict sends a clear message that price-fixing activities will not be tolerated in Canada," said John Pecman, Interim Commissioner of Competition. "Canadians are ultimately on the losing end of secret agreements that cheat them out of their money."

Charges were laid on July 15, 2010, as part of the Bureau's investigation into price-fixing of retail gasoline in certain local markets in the province of Quebec, which was first made public in 2008.

Thirty-nine individuals and 15 companies have now been charged with criminal price-fixing in this case. To date, 33 individuals and seven companies have pleaded or were found guilty with fines totalling over $3 million. Of the 33 individuals who have pleaded or were found guilty, six have been sentenced to terms of imprisonment totalling 54 months.

Additional information on past convictions and fines related to this cartel can be found on the Bureau's website.

The Competition Bureau, as an independent law enforcement agency, ensures that Canadian businesses and consumers prosper in a competitive and innovative marketplace.

Contact Information:

For media enquiries, please contact:
Media Relations
819-994-5945
media@cb-bc.gc.ca

For general enquiries, please contact:
Information Centre
Competition Bureau
819-997-4282 or Toll free: 1-800-348-5358
TTY (hearing impaired): 1-800-642-3844
www.competitionbureau.gc.ca