Service review
City of Powell River officials are preparing for a service review, but the project has not been tendered yet.
Late last year, Stephanie Cadieux, BC’s minister of community, sport and cultural development, granted the city $75,000 to conduct a service review.
Stan Westby, chief administrative officer, reported at a recent budget meeting that he completed the request for proposals (RFP) for the service review about six weeks ago. He referred the document to provincial government representatives, councillors and other organizations for feedback. He said he met with representatives from the ministry the previous week to follow up on some concerns they had.
Ministry representatives brought forward four items: accountability for citizens; an opportunity for the regional government to participate; ensuring that a public report is provided; and sharing the methodology of the report with other local governments, particularly those that have major industrial tax components in their tax base.
Westby said he is redrafting the RFP and was hoping to obtain council’s approval at the next budget meeting, scheduled for March 1. Once he has the okay, he’ll be able to issue the RFP, he said.
It is unlikely that any recommendations flowing from the service review will be incorporated into the 2011 budget. The city is expected to present the five-year financial plan and 2011 budget to the public during the week of April 4.
Terasen changes name
Terasen Gas is changing its brand name to FortisBC
beginning March 1, the company announced this week.
Terasen was acquired by Newfoundland-based Fortis Inc. in 2007, but continued to operate under its own logo, even though FortisBC already has a presence in southeastern BC.
The companies will share a common brand name and a new logo.
“The Fortis companies in BC are known today by several names such as Terasen Gas Inc., Terasen Gas (Vancouver Island) Inc., Terasen Gas (Whistler) Inc. and FortisBC, all of which are separate legal entities and will remain as such. However, going forward our customers will know all these companies under the shared name FortisBC,” said John Walker, president and CEO, Terasen Gas and FortisBC, in a news release.
“This change identifies the gas business more fully with other Fortis Inc. operations and reflects its position as part of the largest investor-owned distribution utility in Canada. The companies that will comprise FortisBC account for more than 50 per cent of the total assets of Fortis Inc., a Canadian owned company headquartered in St. John’s, Newfoundland,” the release stated.
The most notable immediate change will be that, starting March 1, natural gas customers will notice a new name on their monthly utility bill: FortisBC instead of Terasen Gas. Customers will continue to receive separate natural gas and electricity bill statements.
Fortis employs more than 2,000 people in BC. FortisBC and Terasen Gas have invested more than $1 billion in BC since 2007 and their combined BC operations have assets of $6.4 billion.
