No joke: FortisBC customers will save money on bills starting April 1

It’s not often that we get to report about upcoming savings for folks, but FortisBC customers are set to get a break on their bills this spring.

FortisBC received approval from the BC Utilities Commission this week to decrease the cost of gas rate for all gas customers as of April 1, 2023.

INFORMATION RELEASE – BCUC Approves FortisBC Energy Inc.’s First Quarter Gas Cost Rate Changes. To read the full information release, visit: https://t.co/3h0aDELd5W pic.twitter.com/Wj5aJA7aiq

— BCUC (@BCUtilitiesCom) March 17, 2023

“This is welcome news,” said a rep. “As of April 1, the cost of the gas rate will decrease by $1.00 from $5.159 per gigajoule (GJ) to $4.159 for all customers.”

For residential customers on the Mainland and Vancouver Island, average monthly bills will decrease by about $7.50 or 7%, based on an average household annual consumption of approximately 90 GJ.

Back in December, British Columbians noticed a sizeable increase in their FortisBC bills, so this upcoming decrease should provide some relief amidst an affordability crisis.

According to FortisBC, the cost of gas is affected by lots of factors, including supply levels, economic conditions, and weather.

“We do not mark up the cost of gas, so customers pay what we pay,” said a rep.

“Even with the cost of gas decreasing, we understand that energy costs are an important consideration in household budgets. So, if any customer needs assistance with their bills, they can call our customer contact centre for assistance.”

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As for BC Hydro customers, they could also get a decrease of 2% soon, pending approval from the Commission. More details are expected in April 2023.