LETTER NO. L-96-05 SIXTH FLOOR, 900 HOWE STREET, BOX 250 ROBERT J. PELLATT VANCOUVER, B.C. CANADA V6Z 2N3 COMMISSION SECRETARY TELEPHONE: (604) 660-4700 Commission.Secretary@bcuc.com BC TOLL FREE: 1-800-663-1385 web site: http://www.bcuc.com FACSIMILE: (604) 660-1102 Log No. 12033, 12243 VIA E-MAIL jjbrown@cope378.ca November 8, 2005 Ms. Jackie Brown Canadian Office and Professional Employees Union 2 nd Floor, 4595 Canada Way Burnaby, B.C. V5BG 1J9 Dear Ms. Brown: Re: Closure of Accenture Business Services for Utilities Inc. in Kelowna, B.C. and Section 44 of the Utilities Commission Act The Commission received your letter dated October 7, 2005 regarding the Accenture Business Services for Utilities Inc. (“Accenture”) closure of its Kelowna B.C. operation and the move to New Brunswick. Your letter identified that Accenture has in its possession the accounts and records of Terasen Gas Inc. (“Terasen Gas”, “the Utility”) and you are concerned that Accenture’s move could be contrary to section 44 of the Utilities Commission Act (“the Act”). Your letter also asked whether the Commission has required Terasen Gas to keep any accounts or records in British Columbia and to provide any written documentation of such a requirement. By the attached letter dated October 20, 2005, Terasen Gas submitted that the Accenture move of the call centre activity does not violate any portion of section 44 of the Act as the Commission has not previously directed Terasen Gas to keep records in British Columbia. Terasen Gas stated that virtually all of its records are in digital form as opposed to hard copy and these records can be accessed by all authorized Terasen Gas employees at all Terasen Gas offices on a 24 hours per day, 365 days per year basis, except for temporary system outages. Terasen Gas also stated that its contractual arrangements with CustomerWorks confirm that Terasen Gas owns and controls the customer data. Terasen Gas expressed confidence that the customer personal data is very secure, utilizing state-of-the-art firewalls and other security measures as required under the Client Service Agreement with CustomerWorks and in compliance with the provincial privacy legislation currently in effect. Terasen Gas also expressed confidence that the personal data would be just as secure if similar software and data were stored electronically on servers outside of British Columbia and there would be continued compliance with provincial privacy legislation. . . . /2
LETTER NO. L-96-05 2 The Commission has not previously directed Terasen Gas to keep its records in British Columbia. In Order No. G-29-02 which approved the Customer Care Agreements and disposition of property, the Commission stated in its Reasons for Decision, Appendix A, page 10, that “Customer information remains the property of the Utility and CustomerWorks is required to keep it confidential.” Terasen Gas has a responsibility to be able to access its customer records at any time. The Commission accepts that Terasen Gas employees in British Columbia have remote access to the Terasen Gas customer records and accordingly, no additional conditions are required at this time on the Accenture relocation of the Kelowna call centre to Fredericton, New Brunswick. Yours truly, Original signed by: Robert J. Pellatt RJP/dlf Attachment cc: Mr. Scott Thomson Vice President, Finance and Regulatory Affairs Terasen Gas Inc. MiscCor/L-96-05 ABS-Kelowna Closure S44-UCA
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