SILGA membership has supported two different resolutions calling for change to the stepped rates currently being applied by BC Hydro and Fortis.  The sponsors of these resolutions cited the unfair and unaffordable consequence to customers who only have access to electricity to heat; they cited the cleaner emissions from electricity over wood, diesel and gas generator (the options available to most remote rural areas).

All of us support energy conservation by and large but there is a group of people being unfairly penalized by a large margin!

I have names and contact info of some more near and in Hedley whose bills are in excess of $500 to $1000 for two months, the $500 was not occupying the place and has actually insisted Fortis change the meter the readings seemed so out of order.

Angelique Wood
Area G RDOS

Original motion that was endorsed – Removal of BC Hydro Stepped Rates in Areas without Natural Gas

SPONSOR:  TNRD  (Thompson Nicola Regional District)

WHEREAS many residents of British Columbia do not have and will not have in the near future a natural gas energy resource (heating) available to them and must rely on propane, diesel or electric as their energy resource;

AND WHEREAS there are fewer greenhouse gas emissions from electricity compared to other energy sources making electricity an environmentally preferable energy source compared to other available energy resources, especially in those areas in the province without access to natural gas;

AND WHEREAS BC Hydro (Fortis) has established a stepped rate with the approval of the BC Utilities Commission whereby customers pay 6.80 cents per kWh for the first 1,350 kWh they use over an average two-month billing period and pay 10.19 cents per KWh for the balance of the electricity used during the two-month billing period:

THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that the Province of BC work with BC Hydro (Fortis) and the BC Utilities Commission to implement the lower residential stepped rate in areas of the province where natural gas is not available to encourage those residents to use electricity only for heating and thereby reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

Earlier: The two-tiered rate plan will be a topic of conversation at the SILGA (Southern Interior Local Government Association) convention that ends today in Salmon Arm.

Two resolutions pertaining to the rate system instituted by both Fortis BC & BC Hydro passed, they will now be sent to the Union of BC Municipalities convention to be held in September.