Orders

ORDER NUMBER

G-138-23

 

IN THE MATTER OF

the Utilities Commission Act, RSBC 1996, Chapter 473

 

and

 

Easy Energy Inc.

Potential Non-Compliance with Code of Conduct for Gas Marketers

 

BEFORE:

B. A. Magnan, Panel Chair

E. B. Lockhart, Commissioner

A. Pape-Salmon, Commissioner

 

on June 12, 2023

 

ORDER

WHEREAS:

 

A.      On August 8, 2022, the British Columbia Utilities Commission (BCUC) received a dispute regarding a gas marketing contract between a customer and Easy Energy Inc. (Easy Energy) (Contract);

B.      Easy Energy is a licensed Gas Marketer located in Surrey, BC, with approximately 19,000 customers and operates as part of the Natural Gas Customer Choice Marketing Program in BC (Customer Choice);

C.      As a condition of its license, Easy Energy is required to abide by the Rules for Gas Marketers, approved by the BCUC October 18, 2013, by Order A-12-13, and Code of Conduct for Gas Marketers (Code of Conduct), approved by the BCUC September 29, 2015, by Order A-12-15. The Code of Conduct requires that Gas Marketers enrol customers on fair and ethical terms;

D.      On September 1, 2022, in accordance with the Customer Choice dispute process, Easy Energy filed with the BCUC its response to the dispute, including the Third-Party Verification (TPV) call conducted with the customer in relation to the Contract (Submission);

E.       TPV is the form of a digitally recorded telephone call, or electronic process, conducted by the Gas Marketer, where, after signing a contract, customers are required to verify certain aspects of their enrolment and contract. TPVs follow a script approved by the BCUC, as set out in the Code of Conduct;

F.       As part of the Customer Choice dispute process, BCUC staff reviewed Easy Energy’s Submission and noted inconsistencies between the approved TPV script and the TPV call placed to the customer who filed the dispute;

G.      On April 12, 2023, by Order G-79-23, the BCUC determined that a public hearing to investigate whether Easy Energy is in breach of the Code of Conduct for Gas Marketers is warranted. The BCUC established a regulatory timetable which included public notice, letters of comment, BCUC information requests (IR), with further process to be determined;

H.      On April 25, 2023, Easy Energy submitted notice of compliance with Order G-79-23;

I.         On May 18, 2023, Easy Energy submitted responses to BCUC IR No. 1; and

J.        The BCUC has reviewed the matter and considers further process is warranted.

 

NOW THEREFORE the BCUC establishes a further regulatory timetable as set out in Appendix A to this order.

 

 

DATED at the City of Vancouver, in the Province of British Columbia, this                12^th             day of June 2023.

 

BY ORDER

 

Original signed by:

 

B. A. Magnan

Commissioner

 

 

Attachment

 

 

Easy Energy Inc.

Potential Non-Compliance with Code of Conduct for Gas Marketers