British Columbia Utilities Commission
Encyclopedia
Provinces and territories of Canada
The provinces and territories of Canada combine to make up the world's second-largest country by area. There are ten provinces and three territories...
of British Columbia
British Columbia
British Columbia is the westernmost of Canada's provinces and is known for its natural beauty, as reflected in its Latin motto, Splendor sine occasu . Its name was chosen by Queen Victoria in 1858...
responsible for regulating rates and standards of service quality. The Commission's primary responsibility is the regulation of British Columbia's natural gas and electricity utilities. They also regulate intra-provincial pipelines and the Insurance Corporation of British Columbia
Insurance Corporation of British Columbia
The Insurance Corporation of British Columbia is a provincial crown corporation in British Columbia created in 1973 by the NDP government of British Columbia. The original purpose of ICBC was to provide universal public auto insurance in British Columbia...
(ICBC), a crown corporation responsible for insuring vehicles and operators in the province.
Apart from rates and services, the BCUC is also responsible for ensuring that shareholder
Shareholder
A shareholder or stockholder is an individual or institution that legally owns one or more shares of stock in a public or private corporation. Shareholders own the stock, but not the corporation itself ....
s of utilities are afforded a reasonable opportunity to earn a fair return on their invested capital
Capital (economics)
In economics, capital, capital goods, or real capital refers to already-produced durable goods used in production of goods or services. The capital goods are not significantly consumed, though they may depreciate in the production process...
, that competitive interests are not frustrated, and that government energy policy is practically implemented. In addition, it approves the development of infrastructure
Infrastructure
Infrastructure is basic physical and organizational structures needed for the operation of a society or enterprise, or the services and facilities necessary for an economy to function...
planned by utilities and their issuance of securities
Security (finance)
A security is generally a fungible, negotiable financial instrument representing financial value. Securities are broadly categorized into:* debt securities ,* equity securities, e.g., common stocks; and,...
, establishes tolls and conditions of service for intraprovincial oil pipelines
Pipeline transport
Pipeline transport is the transportation of goods through a pipe. Most commonly, liquids and gases are sent, but pneumatic tubes that transport solid capsules using compressed air are also used....
, and has responsibility for electric power transmission
Electric power transmission
Electric-power transmission is the bulk transfer of electrical energy, from generating power plants to Electrical substations located near demand centers...
facilities and energy
Energy development
Energy development is the effort to provide sufficient primary energy sources and secondary energy forms for supply, cost, impact on air pollution and water pollution, mitigation of climate change with renewable energy....
supply contract
Contract
A contract is an agreement entered into by two parties or more with the intention of creating a legal obligation, which may have elements in writing. Contracts can be made orally. The remedy for breach of contract can be "damages" or compensation of money. In equity, the remedy can be specific...
s. The BCUC also reviews energy-related matters referred to it by Cabinet
Executive Council of British Columbia
The Executive Council of British Columbia is the cabinet of that Canadian province....
, which usually involve public hearings, followed by a report and recommendations to Cabinet.
With respect to ICBC, the Commission is responsible for ensuring that service to basic automobile insurance policyholders is adequate, efficient, just and reasonable, and that ICBC optional insurance is not subsidized by other ICBC operations.
The BCUC has quasi-judicial responsibilities, and may make legally binding rulings (subject to court appeal). It is governed by its enabling statute, the Utilities Commission Act, other legislation and regulations pertaining to specific utilities, including the Pipeline Act, and — with respect to ICBC — provisions of the Insurance Corporation Act.
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;
- provides access to regulated utilities' tariffTariffA tariff may be either tax on imports or exports , or a list or schedule of prices for such things as rail service, bus routes, and electrical usage ....
s and information filed in public hearings; - responds to requests for general information regarding utilities.
The Commission has been self-funded since 1988. Its annual budget ranges from $4.6 to $4.7 million, with its costs recovered primarily through a levy on the energy utilities and pipelines companies that it regulates.
The BCUC describes its mission as follows:
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.