BCUC Invites Public Feedback on Retail Pilot Draft Report

VANCOUVER, BC, Feb. 4, 2022 /CNW/ - Today, the British Columbia Utilities Commission (BCUC) issued a Draft Report summarizing the results of the Fuel Price Transparency Act retail data collection project (Retail Pilot) that took place from November 2020 to November 2021.

During that time, the BCUC, in its role as Administrator of the Fuel Price Transparency Act, collected data from a group of retail dealers across British Columbia (BC), as outlined in the BC government's Special Direction.

The Draft Report explains the BCUC's approach to carrying out the Retail Pilot, examines the costs and benefits of collecting fuel data from retail stations, and outlines the key takeaways from our analysis. It also provides draft recommendations to the BC government on what retail fuel data should be collected, who should have to report retail fuel data, and how frequently retail data should be reported.

The BCUC recommends an approach that is suited to the retail market and differs from the existing wholesale reporting requirements. 

The BCUC's draft recommendations include:
Retail Purchase Data	Enhancing the wholesale reporting requirements in the Fuel Price Transparency (FPT) Regulation to require wholesale fuel marketers to submit to the BCUC, on a monthly basis, information on the volume of fuel they supply to each of their retail station customers and where this fuel is sourced. Not requiring retail dealers to regularly report data on their fuel purchasing activities to the BCUC.
Retail Market Characteristics	Requiring all retail dealers in the province to complete a simple survey each year on general retail station information including, among other things, pump services, site amenities, and ownership structure for each retail station under their control.
Retail Sales Data	Combining data from third-party data service providers and other publicly available sources with data collected from retail dealers in an annual survey. Implementing a strategic and customizable approach to retail fuel data reporting, focusing on market aspects that are not explained by publicly available information.
Who Should Report	Aligning the definition of "retail dealer" in any future retail regulations with the definition used in the FPT Regulation for wholesale market participants. Exempting entities from reporting that are exempt from BC's Motor Fuel Tax Act and Carbon Tax Act. Engaging with First Nations communities and Indigenous governments to develop reporting requirements for Indigenous-owned retail stations and retail stations located on Indigenous lands.

British Columbians are invited to provide their feedback and comments on the Draft Report to the BCUC before it is finalized and presented to the Minister of Energy, Mines and Low Carbon Innovation. Feedback can be submitted through a letter of comment before Monday, February 28, 2022.

BCUC Staff are also hosting three online workshops to provide more information about the Draft Report, answer your questions, and seek your feedback. The workshops are open to the public and registration is required.

Workshop	Date	Register
Workshop #1	February 14, 2022, 3pm (PST)	Register here
Workshop #2	February 15, 2022, 2:30pm (PST)
Workshop #3	February 23, 2022, 1pm (PST)

For more information about the Retail Pilot, our Draft Report, or the upcoming workshops, please visit GasPricesBC.ca/Retail Pilot.

Background
On August 14, 2020, the BC government issued a Special Direction to the BCUC, requiring the BCUC to undertake a Retail Pilot that would inform the development of regulations aimed at the retail portion of the supply chain. As Administrator of the Fuel Price Transparency Act, the BCUC is responsible for collecting fuel data to promote market competitiveness and public confidence in the competitiveness of the fuel market.

About the BCUC
The BCUC is an independent regulatory body, responsible for regulating BC's energy utilities, as well as its compulsory automobile insurance rates, and intra-provincial pipeline rates. The BCUC is also responsible for administering BC's Fuel Price Transparency Act. It is the BCUC's role to balance the interests of customers with the interests of the businesses it regulates. The BCUC carries out fair and transparent reviews of matters within its jurisdiction and considers public input where public interest is impacted.

SOURCE British Columbia Utilities Commission

CONTACT INFORMATION: Krissy Van Loon, Manager, Communications, Phone: [phone], Email: [email protected]