Orders

ORDER NUMBER

A-2-25

IN THE MATTER OF

the Utilities Commission Act, RSBC 1996, Chapter 473

and

Access Gas Services Inc.

Gas Marketer Licence Renewal

under the Customer Choice Program

BEFORE:

B. A. Magnan, Commissioner

E. B. Lockhart, Commissioner

W. E. Royle, Commissioner

on October 28, 2025

ORDER

WHEREAS:

A.      Section 71.1(1) of the Utilities Commission Act (UCA) requires a person who is not a public utility and who performs a gas marketing activity for low-volume consumers to hold a gas marketer licence issued by the British Columbia Utilities Commission (BCUC);

B.      The BCUC established Rules for Gas Marketers (Rules) pursuant to section 71.1(10) of the UCA to assist with the administration of gas marketer licensing. The BCUC reviews and updates the Rules from time to time, most recently on October 18, 2013 by Order A-12-13; 

C.      On August 27, 2025, Access Gas Services Inc. (Access Gas) applied to the BCUC for a gas marketer licence for the period November 1, 2025 to October 31, 2026 (Application). The Application included payment of the $1,000 Application fee and proof of sufficient financial resources, pursuant to Sections 4, 6 and 7 of the licence requirements as set out in Attachment 1 to the Rules (Licence Requirements);

D.      Access Gas requests that the BCUC keep all financial information included in the Application confidential; and

E.       The BCUC has reviewed the Application and finds that the following determinations are warranted.

NOW THEREFORE pursuant to section 71.1 of the UCA and the Rules, the BCUC orders as follows:

1.       A gas marketer licence is issued to Access Gas for the period November 1, 2025 to October 31, 2026, subject to the following conditions:

a.       Access Gas must carry out the undertakings as provided in its Application and as set out in the Rules.

b.       Access Gas must comply with the Code of Conduct for Gas Marketers and Rate Schedule 36 of FortisBC Energy Inc.

c.       Access Gas shall ensure that its employees, salespersons or other representatives of its products and services comply with the standards required of a gas marketer as set out in the Code of Conduct for Gas Marketers. Access Gas shall be responsible for any non-compliance of its employees, salespersons or other representatives of its products and services.

d.       Access Gas must maintain the proof of financial resources submitted to satisfy Sections 4, 6 and 7 of the Licence Requirements, in full force and effect for the duration of the gas marketer licence.

e.       Pursuant to section 10.0 of the Rules, in order to maintain compliance with Licence Requirements, the following information must be submitted to the BCUC for review as it becomes available:

i.         The most recent version of the documents that Access Gas provided to demonstrate that it continues to satisfy Sections 4, 6 and 7 under the Licence Requirements; and

ii.       The most recent version of the documents submitted under Sections 8, 9, 10, 11 and 12 of the Licence Requirements prior to use.

f.        The BCUC may, pursuant to section 11 of the Rules, amend or impose new terms and conditions on, suspend, or cancel the gas marketer licence.

g.       Access Gas must notify the BCUC of any material change in circumstances that adversely affects or is likely to adversely affect the business, operations or assets of Access Gas as soon as practicable, but in any event no more than fifteen (15) calendar days past the date upon which such change occurs.

h.       Access Gas must strictly adhere to its approved Third-Party Verification script(s) as outlined in Article 33 of the Code of Conduct for Gas Marketers.

i.         The gas marketer licence and all copies of it shall remain the property of the BCUC. Access Gas will return these documents upon written request from the BCUC.

2.       The Application will be held confidential unless the BCUC determines otherwise.

DATED at the City of Vancouver, in the Province of British Columbia, this            28^th             day of October 2025.

BY ORDER

Electronically signed by Bernard Magnan

B. A. Magnan

Commissioner

Attachment