Where do I sign?

That’s what many people are asking when they find out about the FortisBC rate hike petitions circulating the Okanagan.

“We’re still fighting and getting more and more people signing,” said old age pensioner Donald Thorsteinson, who kick-started the petition process last month.

Thorsteinson said they are far from reaching their target of covering all territories serviced by FortisBC. “We need more media coverage and more citizens willing to volunteer, offering the petition to be signed in every corner of the regions ruled by FortisBC.”

Petition advocate Kelly Wheeler from Oliver has collected more than 17 pages of signatures (17 names per page). But she noted there are many petitions making their way throughout the valley. Even the Osoyoos Indian Band has the petition, Wheeler said.

“There are more horror stories (about rate hikes) . . . everyone’s got the exact same story. It’s insane.”

She talked to one homeowner who uses geo-thermal technology for heating. “They were away for 19 days and their bill went from $600 to $1,600.”

Wheeler said she would like to know who can keep their kilowatt hours under the 1600 threshold (before jumping to the higher rate).

She plans to send all of the signatures to the BC premier, FortisBC, local MLAs and MPs, and the BC Utilities Commission (BCUC).

Wheeler said she took former Liberal MLA Bill Barisoff to task.

“He said he was not allowed to sign because he was the Speaker of the House (of Commons). This is not a political issue, it’s a human rights issue . . . it (electricity) is an essential service.”

Thorsteinson said if conserving electrical energy is the reason for the rate increases and the two-block metering system, then why is the government promoting and building the Site C dam in northeastern BC strictly for the LNG (liquefied natural gas) companies at taxpayer expense, while the rest of the province is starving for electricity?

Thorsteinson said BC doesn’t need new meters or the two-tier rate structure; it needs more electrical generation at reasonable expense without harming the environment.

“We are tired of subsidizing oil and gas companies at the expense of the citizens of BC.”

Tom Loski, FortisBC vice-president of customer service, acknowledged that the residential conservation rate mandated by the BCUC is causing concern among many customers. But he claimed that most customers will benefit from this rate, while some will pay more.

“The BCUC approved a residential conservation rate that would result in 75 per cent of customers seeing lower annual bills and only five per cent of customers seeing an annual increase of more than 10 per cent due to the new rate,” Loski said.

“To look at it another way, if we went back to billing using a flat rate, a majority of customers would have higher annual bills for electricity.”

Loski encouraged those experiencing hardship to contact FortisBC at 1-866-436-7847.

But James McGinnigle from Oliver said he and his wife have failed in their argument with the BCUC that the current rate structure is unfair. He recently wrote a letter to the commission outlining his concerns.

“Electric heat customers are being punished while gas heat customers reap the rewards . . . you have achieved deprivation instead of conservation,” McGinnigle said.

The resident noted that he and his wife reduced their hot water use to the absolute minimum, they lived in one room all winter, they wore layers of clothing to keep warm, and chose microwave food to avoid using the oven.

“The Fortis punitive rates are compelling the elderly and those with low income to either be cold or to take funds from food, medicine and other items to pay the Fortis costs.”

McGinnigle said the new rates have devalued their home because who would want to purchase a dwelling that you can’t afford to heat at a reasonable cost?

He noted the BCUC has the public trust to ensure that people are not abused and discriminated against by an unfair billing system.

In a letter to McGinnigle, commission secretary Erica Hamilton said the 1600 kWh tier-one threshold represents the median consumption for FortisBC customers. She noted that 50 per cent of residential customers use less than 1600 kWh bi-monthly, and 50 per cent use more.

“Setting the step-one threshold at 1600 kWh results in 95 per cent of customers seeing a bill increase of 10 per cent or less . . . this impact was considered not unduly punitive to customers with electric heat,” Hamilton said.

She explained the tier-one threshold is not a target consumption level, but the point where the cost of electricity changes to the tier-two price.

Hamilton said the rate structure will be reviewed in early 2014, particularly how it impacts customers with electric heat.

Lyonel Doherty
Oliver Chronicle