Customer Service Amendments to the Gas Distribution Access Rule (GDAR)

Case number

EB-2010-0280

Launched

September 21, 2010

Sector

Natural Gas

Status

Archived

Details

The objective of this initiative was to develop, where appropriate, customer service standards applicable to all customers of natural gas distributors including customer service rules tailored to low-income gas customers.

Customer service standards were developed to address the following areas:

i. Bill issuance and payment;
ii. Allocation of payments between gas and non-gas charges;
iii. Correction of billing errors;
iv. Equal payment and equal billing plans;
v. Disconnection for non-payment;
vi. Security deposits;
vii. Arrears management programs; and
viii. Management of customer accounts.

Related policy initiatives:

Updates

Date	Issue / Document
March 28, 2013	The Board has issued a Notice of Final Amendments to the Gas Reporting and Record Keeping Requirements. The amendments deal with the uptake of residential and eligible low-income customer service policies for rate-regulated natural gas distributors and will come into force on July 1, 2013. Notice of Amendment to a Rule: Amendments to the Natural Gas Reporting & Record Keeping Requirements in Relation to Residential and Low-Income Customer Service Policies Attachment A: Amendments to the Natural Gas Reporting & Record Keeping Requirements in Relation to Residential and Low-Income Customer Service Policies
February 15, 2013	The Board has posted written comments in response to the Board’s Notice of proposed amendments to the Reporting and Record Keeping Requirements for natural gas distributors related to their customer service policies. City of Kitchener Enbridge Gas Distribution Inc. Low-Income Energy Network Natural Resource Gas Limited Union Gas Limited Clarification of Submission Enbridge Gas Distribution Inc. & Union Gas Limited Joint Submission
December 13, 2012	The Board has issued for comment a Notice of proposed amendments to the Reporting and Record Keeping Requirements for natural gas distributors related to their customer service policies. Notice of Proposal to Amend a Rule: Customer Service Amendments to the Natural Gas Reporting and Record Keeping Requirements Attachment A: Proposed Customer Service Amendments to the Natural Gas Reporting & Record Keeping Requirements
July 30, 2012	The Board has posted written comments in response to the Board’s Notice of Proposal to Amend a Rule, Proposed Eligible Low-Customer Service Policy Amendments to the Gas Distribution Access Rule issued July 12, 2012. Enbridge Gas Distribution Inc. Low-Income Energy Network Union Gas Limited
July 12, 2012	The Board has issued for comment a Notice of Proposal to Amend a Rule, Proposed Eligible Low-Customer Service Policy Amendments to the Gas Distribution Access Rule. Notice of Proposal to Amend A Rule, Proposed Customer Service Amendments to the Gas Distribution Access Rule Attachment A: Proposed Amendments to the Gas Distribution Access Rule: Eligible Low-Customer Service Policy Standards
June 14, 2012	The Board has posted additional written comments in response to the Board’s letter of March 1, 2012. Natural Resource Gas Limited
May 2, 2012	The Board has posted additional written comments from natural gas distributors in response to the Board’s letter of March 1, 2012. Union Gas Limited Enbridge Gas Distribution Inc.
April 2, 2012	The Board has posted written comments from natural gas distributors in response to the Board’s letter of March 1, 2012. Union Gas Limited Enbridge Gas Distribution Inc. Natural Resource Gas Limited Low Income Customer cover letter Low Income Customer comments Residential Customer cover letter Residential Customer comments City of Kitchener City of Kingston
March 1, 2012	The Board has issued a letter inviting gas distributors to provide comments regarding the implementation of specific changes to their customer service policies with respect to low-income customers. Letter
October 14, 2011	The Board has issued a Notice of Final Amendments to the Gas Distribution Access Rule. The amendments deal with residential customer service standards for rate-regulated natural gas distributors and will come into force on April 1, 2012. Notice of Amendments to a Rule: Residential Customer Service Amendments to the Gas Distribution Access Rule Attachment A: Final Amendments to the Gas Distribution Access Rule – Residential Customer Service Standards Attachment B: Comparison Version Showing Final Amendments to the Gas Distribution Access Rule relative to the June 29, 2011 Proposed Amendments (for information purposes only)
September 7, 2011	The Board has posted written comments from interested parties in respect of the submissions from gas distributors posted on July 25, 2011. London Property Management Association Low-Income Energy Network Vulnerable Energy Consumers Coalition
July 25, 2011	The Board has posted written submissions from natural gas distributors in which gas distributors have responded to the Board’s June 29, 2011 letter requesting: their input in developing low-income related customer service standards for rate-regulated gas distributors; and that they document their current low-income related policies and practices and suggest new or modified policies that are appropriate for gas distributors. City of Kitchener Attachment A Enbridge Gas Distribution Inc. Union Gas Limited
July 22, 2011	The Board has posted written submissions from interested parties commenting on its Notice of Proposed Customer Service Amendments to the Gas Distribution Access Rule issued June 29, 2011. City of Kitchener Enbridge Gas Distribution Inc. Federation of Rental-housing Providers of Ontario Low-Income Energy Network Union Gas Limited Vulnerable Energy Consumers Coalition
June 29, 2011	The Board has issued a letter seeking input in developing low-income related customer service standards for rate-regulated gas distributors. Letter Attachment A: Proposed Customer Service Policies and Practices for Eligible Low-Income Natural Gas Customers
June 29, 2011	The Board has issued for comment a Notice of Proposal to Amend a Rule, Proposed Customer Service Amendments to the Gas Distribution Access Rule. Notice of Proposal to Amend A Rule, Proposed Customer Service Amendments to the Gas Distribution Access Rule (inc. Attachment A: Proposed Amendments to the Gas Distribution Access Rule: Customer Service Standards)
March 22, 2011	The Board has posted written submissions from interested parties commenting on natural gas distributors’ February 17, 2011 submissions. The gas distributors’ submissions were responding to the Board’s January 20, 2011 letter requesting: 1) gas distributors’ input in assessing the need for developing customer service standards for natural gas distributors; and 2) that gas distributors document their current customer service policies and practices and suggest new or modified policies that are appropriate for gas distributors. Canadian Manufacturers & Exporters (CME) Direct Energy (DE) Federation of Rental-Housing Providers of Ontario (FRPO) London Property Management Association (LPMA) Low-Income Energy Network (LIEN)
February 18, 2011	The Board has posted written submissions from natural gas distributors in which gas distributors have responded to the Board’s January 20, 2011 letter requesting: 1) their input in assessing the need for developing customer service standards for natural gas distributors; and 2) that they document their current customer service policies and practices and suggest new or modified policies that are appropriate for gas distributors. City of Kitchener Attachment A Enbridge Gas Distribution Inc. Union Gas Interested parties have been invited to comment on the posted submissions by March 17, 2011.
January 20, 2011	The Board has issued a letter seeking input in assessing the need for developing customer service standards for natural gas distributors. Letter Attachment A: Existing and Proposed Customer Service Policies and Practices of Natural Gas Distributors
September 21, 2010	The Board has issued a letter initiating a consultation process to develop customer service rules for natural gas distributors. Letter
September 6, 2010	The Board has issued a Notice of Final Amendments to the Gas Distribution Access Rule. The amendments deal with eligible low-income customer service standards for rate-regulated natural gas distributors and will come into force on January 1, 2013. Notice of Amendment to a Rule: Eligible Low-Income Customer Service Policy Amendments to the Gas Distribution Access Rule Attachment A: Eligible Low-Income Customer Service Policy Amendments to the Gas Distribution Access Rule

Cost Award Matters

Date	Issue / Document
April 5, 2013	The Board has issued a Notice of Hearing on Cost Awards. Notice of Hearing on Cost Awards
February 4, 2013	The Board has issued its Decision and Order on Cost Awards. Decision and Order on Cost Awards
September 6, 2012	The Board has issued a Notice of Hearing for Cost Awards. Notice of Hearing on Cost Awards
October 28, 2010	The Board has issued its decision on cost eligibility. Decision
October 13, 2010	The Board has posted requests for cost eligibility and participation. Cost Eligibility Requested: Building Owners and Managers Association Canadian Manufacturers and Exporters Federation of Rental-Housing Providers of Ontario London Property Management Association Low-Income Energy Network Vulnerable Energy Consumers Coalition Cost Eligibility Not Requested: City of Kitchener Direct Energy Marketing Limited Enbridge Gas Distribution Inc. Just Energy Union Gas Limited