Image Credit: CFJC Today

By Adam Donnelly

FIRST NATIONS CONSULTATION

BC Utilities Commission seeks input on Indigenous Utilities Regulation

Jan 14, 2020 | 4:08 PM

KAMLOOPS — A consultation process is underway between the BC Utilities Commission and First Nations throughout British Columbia. The inquiry is about the regulation of utilities operated by Indigenous groups in the province.

According to Dave Morton, Chair and CEO of the BCUC, the role of the commission is to regulate any company that provides any energy product for sale (excluding petroleum products). The province directed the BCUC to engage with Indigenous groups to find out how they hope to see those utilities managed moving forward.

“When we set up the inquiry process, we decided it was important to travel around the province and engage with Indigenous people,” Morton explains. “This [meeting] is the spent round of consultation we’ve done, and we’re just wrapping up here today, then Fort St John later in the week.”

Representatives from several area First Nations attended the meeting, including Simpcw First Nation, Cayoose Creek Indian Band, and Adams Lake Indian Band.

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Morton believes that as different opportunities to generate energy arise, more First Nations will be looking at creating utilities to provide power to their communities.

Image Credit: CFJC Today

“Remote communities and also communities that lie within larger municipalities,” Morton says. “That’s why this is of such interest to the provincial government and to the [BC] Utilities Commission. I would also point out that we’re looking at this through the lens of the UNDRIP legislation that’s been recently passed by the province. We want to make sure that any changes we propose to the act fully consider all of those factors.”