Buying from a gas marketer

Natural gas marketers are free to offer customers gas and provide terms and conditions that Terasen Gas can't.

As a utility company regulated by the BC Utilities Commission, Terasen Gas must offer the same variable price to all customers within the same rate class. Terasen Gas can not offer discounts or different prices to customers within the same rate class.

This is not the same with a natural gas marketer. As a result, the pricing and supply options you can now secure with a gas marketer are quite different from your supply arrangement with Terasen Gas.

Whatever you choose, remember that gas marketers:

offer alternate price options
are licensed by the BC Utilities Commission
are businesses separate from Terasen Gas.

Potential risks of your choice

By signing a contract with a gas marketer, you are committing to purchase natural gas at a fixed price for one to five years.

The amount you pay over that period could end up being more or less than what you would be charged by Terasen Gas for the same period. It all depends on how much volatility there is in the gas commodity market.

Should your gas marketer surrender or lose its license, your account will be returned to Terasen Gas with no interruption in gas supply. But you may be liable for gas supply costs greater than the current Terasen Gas regulated rate.