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{{Short description|Nova Scotia-based petroleum distributor}}

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The '''Wilson Fuel Company Limited''', (alsooften knownshortened asto '''Wilson Fuel'''), is an independent petroleum wholesaler, distributor and retailer headquartered in [[Truro, Nova Scotia|Truro]], [[Nova Scotia]]. Wilsons brands itself as the largest independent home heating fuel and gasoline retailer in [[Atlantic Canada]].

Its retail network included locations branded under the Wilsons Gas Stops and Go! Store brands, most of which supplied by [[Imperial Oil]].<ref name=":0">{{Cite web |date=2023-03-03 |title=Couche-Tard sells 52 sites in Atlantic Canada, furthers expansion plan in the region |url=https://ccentral.ca/couche-tard-sells-52-sites-atlantic-canada-furthers-expansion-plan-region |access-date=2025-05-10 |website=CCentral |language=en}}</ref><ref name=":1">{{Cite web |date=2022-08-30 |title=Couche-Tard reaches deal with Competition Bureau regarding Wilsons acquisition |url=https://ccentral.ca/couche-tard-reaches-deal-competition-bureau-regarding-wilsons-acquisition |access-date=2025-05-10 |website=CCentral |language=en}}</ref>

==History==

Wilsons Fuel traces its history to a mercantile trade company founded in the early [[1800s]]. It branched out into construction during the early [[1900s]] and was involved in the reconstruction of [[Dartmouth, Nova Scotia|Dartmouth]] following the [[Halifax Explosion]], and was the general contractor for many of Nova Scotia's historic buildings from the late [[19th century|19th]] and early [[20th century|20th centuries]]. The company gradually left the construction industry and began to supply coal to residential and commercial customers for heating. The company adopted its present name of Wilson Fuel Company Limited during the [[1950s]] when fuel oil replaced coal.

In July 2021, Quebec based [[Couche-Tard]] announced an agreement to purchase Wilson's retail gasoline/convenience store network and marine fuel terminal, for an undisclosed amount, pending approval by the [[Competition Bureau]]. Wilson Home Heating, Wilson Security, Kerr Controls and Ski Wentworth were not involved in the deal.<ref>{{cite web| url = https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/nova-scotia/wilsons-gas-stations-bought-couche-tard-1.6124520| title = Wilsons gas stations in Atlantic Canada bought by Quebec's Couche-Tard {{!}} CBC News}} </ref> The acquisition was completed in 2023; Couche-Tard was ordered to divest some of the acquired assets, and reached an agreement to sell 52 locations to Quebecois company Harnois Énergies.<ref name=":0" /><ref name=":1" />

The company expanded its residential and commercial fuel oil distribution and wholesale business through the [[1960s]]-[[2000s]] and branched out into the retail petroleum business during the [[1990s]].

==References==

Wilsons Fuel owns and operates 32 company service stations, 9 "Wilsons Gas Stops," and 23 stations using the [[Imperial Oil|Esso]] brand. They also distribute gasoline to 271 independent retail stations in Atlantic Canada. Some company owned and operated stations have convenience stores and fast food outlets. The home heating fuel division also sells propane and other products.

{{Reflist}}

The company's vice-president Dave Collins is often quoted by [[Nova Scotia|Nova Scotian]] media discussing that province's [[Petroeum Pricing in Nova Scotia|petroleum pricing]], particularly when prices increase.[[Image:Wilsongas.jpg|right|25pix]]

==Petroleum price regulation controversy==

The provinces of [[Prince Edward Island]], [[Newfoundland and Labrador]], [[Nova Scotia]] and [[New Brunswick]] regulate the retail prices of petroleum products ([[Gasoline|gasoline]], [[Diesel|diesel]], [[propane]], [[home heating fuel]]). PEI has been regulating its prices since the [[1980s]] and Newfoundland since the [[1990s]], however NS and NB only implemented price regulation in [[2006]] in response to wild price fluctuations over the winter of [[2005]]-2006.

Wilsons has been consistently opposed to price regulation based on the company's belief that customers benefit from a free market price. Wilsons moved into the PEI marketplace in early 2005 after purchasing several Esso stations from [[Imperial Oil]]; this coming after several years of studying how the long-established price regulation scheme was working in that province. In the days following [[Hurricane Katrina]], wholesale international prices for petroleum increased dramatically, forcing Wilsons and other independent (ie. non-refining) retailers to adjust their prices accordingly, except that this wasn't possible in the regulated retail market in PEI. On [[September 1]], Wilsons Fuel announced that it would stop supplying fuel to its company-owned stations and its independent retail customers since the company would be taking a severe financial loss if it were to do so.

Wilsons Fuel has continued to voice concern at increased price regulation in Atlantic Canada in the months since the price fluctuations following Hurricane Katrina.

==See also==

* [[Petroeum Pricing in Nova Scotia]]

* [[Island Regulatory and Appeals Commisssion|Island Regulatory and Appeals Commission]]

==External links==

*[http://www.{{Official website|wilsons.ca Company Website]}}

*[http://www.gov.ns.ca/snsmr/petroleum/pdf/NS_GAS_FINAL_REPORT.pdf Report: Economics of the Nova Scotia Gasoline Market ] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060615092649/http://www.gov.ns.ca/snsmr/petroleum/pdf/NS_GAS_FINAL_REPORT.pdf |date=2006-06-15 }}

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[[Category:Companies based in Nova Scotia]]

[[Category:Gas stations in Canada]]

[[Category:Oil companies of Canada]]

* [[Petroeum Pricing inCategory:Truro, Nova Scotia]]

[[Category:Year of establishment missing]]