British Columbia Utilities Commission issues draft report on the regulation of Indigenous owned and operated utilities

On August 28, 2019, we posted an overview of the British Columbia Utilities Commission’s (“BCUC”) inquiry into the regulation of Indigenous owned and operated utilities (the “Inquiry”). Aldridge + Rosling LLP is representing the Nisga’a Nation in this Inquiry.

Since our last post on the Inquiry, the BCUC held an oral hearing for interveners on September 27, 2019, and interveners submitted their final written arguments on October 4, 2019.

The BCUC issued its draft report to the BC Government for the Inquiry on November 1, 2019. The draft report includes draft recommendations for the BC Government regarding the regulation of Indigenous energy utilities, and will inform the BC Government’s approach to the regulation of such utilities.

The BCUC is holding workshops on the draft report from November 18, 2019 to December 9, 2019, to collect feedback. The workshops are being held in Prince George, Kelowna, Vancouver, Nanaimo, Victoria and Smithers. For more information, including dates for each workshop, please visit the BCUC’s website.

Participants may submit comments on the draft report until March 2, 2019, and will have an opportunity to reply to comments from other participants by March 31, 2020. The BCUC will issue its interim report to the BC Government on December 31, 2019, with the final report being issued by April 30, 2020.