Close X
Saturday, November 30, 2024
ADVT 
National

FortisBC holds line on natural gas prices

Darpan News Desk The Canadian Press, 17 Mar, 2021 06:23 PM
  • FortisBC holds line on natural gas prices

Natural gas supplier FortisBC says prices won't change for at least another three months, but other charges such as the provincial carbon tax still have the potential to increase the customer's bill.

A statement from FortisBC Energy Inc. says the British Columbia Utilities Commission has approved the plan to maintain natural gas prices at current levels for all customers until June 30.

But the B.C. carbon tax, which applies to fuels including natural gas, is set to increase on April 1 from $40 to $45 per tonne, after the hike was twice delayed in March and September of last year during the COVID-19 pandemic.

With taxes and other charges excluded, Fortis says current natural gas prices amount to $2.844 per gigajoule for Lower Mainland, Vancouver Island, Whistler and Revelstoke customers, and $2.999 for customers in Fort Nelson.

The Canada Energy Regulator estimates the average Canadian home fuelled by natural gas uses just over 88 gigajoules annually.

FortisBC charges a flat fee to recover fixed costs, a delivery charge and a storage and transport fee, but Diane Roy, vice-president of regulatory affairs with FortisBC, says the utility makes no profit on the cost of natural gas.

"We understand that energy costs are an important decision in household budgets," Roy says in the statement on Wednesday. "Our priority remains to deliver safe and reliable energy to our customers while working to keep rates as low as possible."

FortisBC delivers natural gas and electricity to about 1.2 million customers in the province.

MORE National ARTICLES

RCMP investigating explosions in Penticton, B.C.

RCMP investigating explosions in Penticton, B.C.
Const. James Grandy says in a statement that the RCMP Explosive Disposal Unit will help investigate two confirmed explosions and other potential blasts. Grandy says police are investigating explosions on March 7 at a local soccer field and on March 8 on the grounds of Carmi Elementary School.

RCMP investigating explosions in Penticton, B.C.

BC hits second highest COVID19 case count

BC hits second highest COVID19 case count
Of the active cases, 255 individuals are currently hospitalized with COVID-19, 67 of whom are in intensive care. The remaining people with COVID-19 are recovering at home in self-isolation.

BC hits second highest COVID19 case count

No injuries after vandals loosen nuts on car tires

No injuries after vandals loosen nuts on car tires
Const. Gary O'Brien says the teen alerted his friends and may have averted a similar incident because a 17-year-old whose pickup was parked in the same lot received the message and before driving off, he found the lug nuts on a rear tire had also been loosened.

No injuries after vandals loosen nuts on car tires

Committee told of Chinese interference in vaccine

Committee told of Chinese interference in vaccine
The partnership was originally planned to be between China's CanSino Biologics and the Canadian Centre for Vaccinology at Dalhousie University in Nova Scotia. CanSino had been given a licence by the National Research Council to use a Canadian biological product as part of a COVID-19 vaccine.

Committee told of Chinese interference in vaccine

Man pleads guilty to child pornography related charges: VPD

Man pleads guilty to child pornography related charges: VPD
Ryan Jones plead guilty to possession of child pornography and making child pornography available. Vancouver Police Internet Child Exploitation (ICE) investigators located over 2,300 images and 55 videos of child pornography. The ages of the victims in the material ranged from three (3) to 10 years old.

Man pleads guilty to child pornography related charges: VPD

Panel named to advise on new governor general

Panel named to advise on new governor general
Six people are on the panel, which was announced Friday by Intergovernmental Affairs Minister Dominic LeBlanc. He'll co-chair the group with Janice Charette, a former high commissioner to the United Kingdom now filling in as clerk of the Privy Council while regular clerk Ian Shugart is treated for cancer.

Panel named to advise on new governor general