Is it time for Coquitlam to change its rules prohibiting self-serve gas stations?
Chevron thinks so.
The company’s policy, government and public affairs representative, Adrien Byrne, said the city’s “antiquated” bylaws are an impediment to market demand and hindering investment in the municipality.
The company would like to expand its hours of operation beyond 10 p.m., he said, but the labour costs associated with full-serve at night do not make economic sense. Byrne also added that having a staff member outside the building during the evening hours is unsafe.
“From a safety perspective, we need to have our people inside from 10 p.m. to 6 a.m.,” he told The Tri-City News, noting that self-serve stations largely rely on pay-at-the-pump service at night. “Full-serve requires someone outside… It is just not practical.”
Chevron is lobbying for change in the form of a rezoning application that would modify the conditions of use for its two Coquitlam stations — one on Brunette Avenue in Maillardville, the other on Como Lake Avenue at Poirier Street — and allow for self-serve.
Byrne said the company hopes its initiative will force the city to take another look at its regulations and make changes that would allow for all stations in the city to operate how they see fit.
“We wanted to get staff’s attention,” he said. “The broad industry has been advocating for change. It never really made much progress… Looking at the economics of it, we have decided to go it alone.”
The rezoning application is expected to come to a council-in-committee meeting later this month for further discussion.
Mayor Richard Stewart told The Tri-City News on Wednesday that he is open to the idea of making changes to the city’s gas station regulations.
But he said his concerns about how elderly or disabled people would be affected if the city has only self-serve stations would have to be addressed. Stewart added that a split between self- and full-serve, known as the separate island model, is likely necessary.
“It works in other communities,” he said, adding that self-serve could operate between 10 p.m. and 6 a.m., when there is currently no gas station service in Coquitlam. “I am comfortable with it.”
The rules prohibiting self-serve stations dates back to the early 1980s, stipulating that gas can only be pumped by service station attendants. Coquitlam and Richmond are the only municipalities in Metro Vancouver with such rules.
@gmckennaTC
