WHEREAS BC Hydro has adopted a two tiered rate structure to encourage energy consideration with the lower rate threshold based on approximately 90 of the provincial median household consumption of electricity and this average is weighted from the consumption patterns of two-thirds of BC households that are able to use natural gas for their heating, hot water and cooking energy requirements; AND WHEREAS the BC Utilities Commission BCUC reduced the upper price threshold charged by BC Hydro from the requested 1600 kilowatt hours to 1350 kilowatt hours for the bi-monthly billing period and most households in rural and remote communities do not have access to natural gas and cannot reduce their consumption by conservation measures sufficiently to avoid the higher tiered rate: Therefore be it resolved that the BC Utilities Commission review the BC Hydro residential electrical tariff structure and increase the amount of kilowatt hours that qualify for the lower rate in all areas that do not have natural gas service.
Ministry of Energy Mines BC has among the lowest residential electricity rates in North America. BC Hydros most commonly-used rates are designed to encourage conservation without increasing revenues to BC Hydro. At Minister Bennetts request, the British Columbia Utilities Commission BCUC is reviewing the impacts of residential stepped rates in British Columbia, including those on customers without access to natural gas, and will report out in 2016. Concerned local governments are encouraged to participate in the BCUC process.