March 16, 2020
Sent via email Letter L-9-20
To: Industry Stakeholders
Re: British Columbia Utilities Commission – Fuel Price Transparency Act
On March 9, 2020, by Order in Council No. 123/20, the British Columbia Utilities Commission (BCUC) was designated the Administrator of the Fuel Price Transparency Act (FPTA). The Administrator is responsible for collecting and publishing information about gasoline and diesel fuel activities in BC, in an effort to promote competitiveness and public confidence in the competitiveness of the fuel market.
We are reaching out to the industry stakeholders who participated in the BCUC Inquiry into Gasoline and Diesel Prices in BC to inform you of our near-term initiatives as your company may be affected by the FPTA.
The BCUC is developing a dedicated website to inform the public about the fuel market. We expect to launch this website in Spring 2020. At launch, the website will provide background information on the Fuel Price Transparency Act, the role of the Administrator and pricing information on the gasoline and diesel market. The pricing information including retail prices, retail margin and refining margin is sourced from publicly available information by the Kent Group. Our intention is to continually enhance the website as more information becomes available. Post launch, we can provide interested participants a walkthrough of the website.
The FPTA requires companies to submit regular information to the BCUC about the fuel market in BC. The Government will determine the type and frequency of the information to be collected on a regular reporting schedule through regulation. The BCUC will be present as an observer during the Government’s consultation with industry stakeholders to gain direct insights from the parties. Once these regulations are in place, the BCUC will work with industry to develop a secure data collection system.
The Administrator may also make special requests for information outside of the regular reporting schedule. Between now and when the regular data collection system is operational, the BCUC, as the Administrator, may request fuel data and records from reporting companies.
The purpose of the FPTA is to promote public confidence in the competitiveness of the gasoline and diesel fuel market. We intend to work with you to accomplish this objective, including ensuring that the data collection process is secure and efficient.
If you have questions about the BCUC’s near-term initiatives, please contact Commission.Secretary@bcuc.com.
Sincerely,
Original signed by:
Patrick Wruck
Commission Secretary
LC/aci
Cc: MEMPR; Premier’s Office