Organization Profile

The British Columbia Utilities Commission is a regulatory agency of the Provincial Government, operating under and administering the Utilities Commission Act ("UCA"). The Commission is responsible for ensuring that customers receive safe, reliable and non-discriminatory energy services at fair rates from the utilities it regulates, that shareholders of these utilities are afforded a reasonable opportunity to earn a fair return on their invested capital, and that the competitive interests of B.C. businesses are not frustrated. It approves the construction of new facilities planned by utilities and their issuance of securities. The Commission's function is quasi-judicial and it has the power to make legally binding rulings. Decisions and Orders of the Commission may be appealed to the Court of Appeal on questions of law or jurisdiction.

The Commission also reviews energy-related matters referred to it by Cabinet. These inquiries usually involve public hearings, followed by a report and recommendations to Cabinet. In addition, under Part 7 of the Pipeline Act, the Commission establishes tolls and conditions of service for intraprovincial oil pipelines. The Commission also has responsibilities under the UCA for electricity transmission facilities and energy supply contracts, matters that are likely to become more active as the reorganization of the energy industry proceeds.

The Commission has been self-funded since 1988. Its costs are recovered primarily through a levy on the public utilities it regulates.

Over the last decade, the Commission has successfully reorganized, downsized, and reduced its costs. Over the same period, the Commission has increased the effectiveness of its regulatory methods in an increasingly complex energy environment by streamlining its processes and adopting methods such as pre-hearing conferences, performance-based regulation and negotiated settlements.

Our Mission

The Commission's mission is to ensure that ratepayers receive safe, reliable, and nondiscriminatory energy services at fair rates from the utilities it regulates, and that shareholders of those utilities are afforded a reasonable opportunity to earn a fair return on their invested capital.

Commission Services

In addition to its regulatory responsibilities, the Commission provides the following services and assistance:

• reviews ratepayers' complaints about the actions of utilities;
• provides copies of documentation prepared by the Commission (e.g., Brochures, Guidelines, Orders, Decisions, etc.,) at no charge. These documents are also posted to the Commission's web site (http://www.bcuc.com);
• access to regulated utilities' Tariffs;
• access to information filed in public hearings; and
• responds to requests for general information regarding utilities.