November 9, 2026
Pacific Northern Gas (PNG) is proposing to establish common basic charges and natural gas delivery rates for comparable customer classes across Fort St. John, Dawson Creek and Tumbler Ridge to support greater long-term rate stability for Northeast customers.
Currently, Fort St. John, Dawson Creek and Tumbler Ridge have different basic charges and natural gas delivery rates. The proposal would combine the existing Fort St. John/Dawson Creek and Tumbler Ridge divisions into a single Northeast division, known as PNG-East. Once fully implemented, customers in the same rate class would pay the same basic charge and delivery rate across PNG-East, similar to the approach already in place in PNG-West. PNG-East and PNG-West would continue to have separate basic charges and delivery rates.
Natural gas rates in PNG’s Northeast service area are currently the lowest in British Columbia. Under the proposal, some customers would see increases in their basic charges and delivery charges, while others would see decreases, depending on their community and rate class.
For residential customers, average annual bills are expected to increase by approximately 0.2% ($3) in Fort St. John and 0.7% ($8) in Dawson Creek, and decrease by approximately 6.8% ($79) in Tumbler Ridge, in each year of the proposed three-year phase-in. For commercial and industrial customers, impacts would vary by community and rate class, with some customers seeing increases and others decreases, even within the same community.
The proposed common rates would change how the cost of providing service is shared among Northeast customers, not the total amount PNG is permitted to recover from those customers.
Currently, basic charges and delivery rates differ across the three communities due to historical rate-setting arrangements. Under the proposed structure, future infrastructure costs and changes in natural gas demand — including the addition, expansion or closure of large commercial and industrial operations — would be shared across PNG-East rather than concentrated within one community, supporting greater long-term rate stability.
To help manage customer bill impacts, PNG is proposing to phase in common basic charges and delivery rates over three years for all affected customers, beginning in 2028. PNG also offers Smart Energy Solutions programs to help eligible residential, commercial and industrial customers reduce natural gas consumption and manage energy costs.
PNG has been examining alternatives to its existing Northeast rate structure in response to encouragement from the British Columbia Utilities Commission (BCUC) and feedback from interveners in previous regulatory proceedings. PNG expects to file its application with the BCUC in December 2026. The proposed changes are subject to independent BCUC review and approval.
Customers can learn more about the proposal, including estimated bill impacts by community and rate class, the regulatory process and opportunities to provide feedback, on PNG’s Northeast Common Rates project page at png.ca/CommonRates. The page will be updated as the proposal progresses through the regulatory review process.
PNG Media Contact: media@png.ca