As the price at the pump soars the Premier is now calling the situation for drivers “dire.”

John Horgan is again banging the refinery drum as he faced more questions this week about skyrocketing gas prices.

“Something as complex as embargoes in other countries, like Iran, has an impact on the price of a barrel of oil. It has an impact on the price of refined product. I have asked my deputy minister to look at the range of options we have available to us as a sub-national government to use either regulatory or other measures to encourage a reduction in costs today and potentially an increase in refining capacity tomorrow.”

As for where a new refinery might go Horgan referred to David Black’s proposal to build one in Kitimat.

“I know someone from my own community on Vancouver Island David Black, an entrepreneur, who has the proposal to build refining capacity in British Columbia has resurrected his idea as recently as this week. I look forward to him entering the regulatory process to see if he has the wherewithal in terms of capital and in terms of expertise to pull that off.”

He admits B.C. is reliant on Alberta and Washington State for its refined gasoline even as his government opposes the Trans Mountain pipeline expansion project.