Grant's Law Announced

Friday, October 05, 2007 08:37 AM

As expected, the Provincial Government has officially released its plans to introduce a new regulation requiring a mandatory prepayment system at gas stations throughout the province .   ( see Opinion250 story ) The new law will be in effect Feb. 1, 2008, to help protect employees who work late at night, Labour and Citizens' Services Minister Olga Ilich said today.

The regulation makes a prepayment system mandatory in service stations across B.C. 24 hours a day, seven days a week. This expands on other regulations brought in following the tragic death of station attendant Grant De Patie in 2005.   In March of 2005, Grant DePatie had tried to stop a gas and dash driver from getting away, was struck by the vehicle, and dragged to his death in Maple Ridge.

Grant's father   is happy to hear the news of the new rules. "On behalf of the De Patie and Crellin families, (Grant's grandparents) I want to thank the government for ensuring that something positive has come out of Grant's tragic death," said Doug De Patie. "Minister Ilich has been a real champion for this cause, and has kept up the momentum towards these changes during the past year. We are pleased and proud that the government has followed through with these new rules that will mean more safety for workers who face the kind of risks that Grant did."

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Posted on Friday, October 05, 2007 08:37 AM in News by 250 News

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Comments

Posted by: dgdiggler on October 5 2007 11:08 AM

So many police agencies simply do not attend gas and dash complaints so this law is very prudent to have on the books. I don't see any problem with people paying before they pump their gas.

Posted by: twistedtiara on October 5 2007 11:24 AM

I'm all for pre paying after a certian point at night, that is fine. But what happens if you go to fill your truck up and pay $120 but your truck will only hold $115. What kind of system will be set up to save us, who pay through the nose to begin with for gas?
I guess there will be no more just fill till it kicks out now.
We had better just know exactly how much money our vehicles need to fill up.

Posted by: Raparee on October 5 2007 12:04 PM

If you pre-pay $120 for gas and only end up pumping $115 worth, you go back into the store to get your $5 change.

Posted by: metalman on October 5 2007 12:12 PM

My respects to the DePatie family, a tragic loss.
But "grants law" is another stopgap measure. It is like spending all your time and resources on providing more re-habs and detox facilities instead of trying to prevent the use of the drugs like meth and crack. How about harsher sentences that reflect the seriousness of the crime? the scumbag in this case dragged a young man to his death. As I recall, the guy knew what he was doing and still did not slow down or stop so Grant could safely let go of the car. Why not severely punish these filth instead of erecting more partitions (like at the tills and for taxis) and making everybody go pay in advance. I do not wish to undermine the tragic circumstance that brought about this silly 'law' but we are running from the problem here!
metalman.

Posted by: Belvedere on October 5 2007 1:02 PM

From what I remember of the incident, Grant DePatie was trying to stop the thief because his employer engaged in the illegal practice of deducting the value of stolen gas from employees' wages. All that we need is for employees to know what their rights are so that noone tries to be a hero.

Posted by: metalman on October 5 2007 3:06 PM

If that is true, Belvedere, the station owner should be censured. Although I understand the owners' motivation, that of trying to ensure that the employees pat attention to what is happening at the pumps and elsewhere, it is unfair to make the minimum wage attendant pay for the theft of gas by a low life.
metalman.

Posted by: Chester on October 5 2007 5:53 PM

I agree with more harsher penalty's for those who have a problem with abiding with the laws. It always seems that all of the honest folks are the ones affected the most when the solutions are proposed.

I'm OK with prepaying, but we are not the problem. A manned gattling gun on a turret at the entrance and exit of every gas station may act as a deterrant. Chester

Posted by: Bowzone.ca on October 6 2007 5:12 AM

I really hate to be one to say it ... But I think this law will not be followed for the most part.

Are you aware that it is illegal to work alone in restaurants, gas stations and alike(ie: easy robbery targets) since 2003. why???? Tara Macdonald ....who??? ....18 year old girl that was beaten to death in Calgary at a subway in 2002 by a robber for 150 bucks. Funny I still see people working alone in the local subway and the local gas stations....

Posted by: owl on October 6 2007 4:44 PM

"The regulation makes a prepayment system mandatory in service stations across B.C. 24 hours a day, seven days a week."

That is taken from the written report.....

Is that really what it is supposed to say? I thought it was only in place for late night situations.

In the same article it says: "..... to help protect employees who work late at night ..... "

Posted by: thereasonableman on October 6 2007 11:12 PM

I think the bigger issue was making employees pay for any losses, and thus "stop them at all costs".

The same is done at some restaurants, bars, pubs, etc.

I think that asking your employee to play bill collector with non-compliant customers, is putting them unnecessarily into harms way. I think it is contrary to "due diligence".

For years, we have been teaching bank employees to co-operate and not give chase.
There were really good reasons for those changes coming about.