Alberta Record

· Pattern / Affordability & Utilities 2024-Q3 · in-force

Utilities Affordability Act rollout: OIC 2024/267-269 + MO 2024_110-115 rename 'regulated rate' to 'rate of last resort'

On September 25-27, 2024, Alberta issued a coordinated set of OICs and Ministerial Orders proclaiming sections of the Utilities Affordability Statutes Amendment Act, 2024 into force, expanding the Utilities Consumer Advocate's duties, and…

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Updated

MO 2024_115: The Ministerial Order amends the Market Surveillance Regulation to clarify the Market Surveillance Administrator's access to records related to the Rate of Last Resort Regulation for performing its existing duties.

What changed

  • OIC 2024/267: This Order in Council proclaims specific sections of the Utilities Affordability Statutes Amendment Act, 2024 into force.
  • OIC 2024/268: The OIC amends the Utilities Consumer Advocate Regulation to expand the duties of the Office of the Utilities Consumer Advocate, including a new requirement to contact regulated rate customers every 90 days.
  • OIC 2024/269: This Order in Council makes the Utility Commodity Rebate Amendment Regulation, updating terminology within the Utility Commodity Rebate Regulation by replacing references to 'regulated rate provider' and 'Regulated Rate
  • MO 2024_110: This Ministerial Order amends the Code of Conduct Regulation by replacing the term 'regulated rate provider' with 'rate of last resort provider' and updating a regulation name.
  • MO 2024_111: This Ministerial Order amends the Micro-generation Regulation by replacing the term 'regulated rate provider' with 'rate of last resort provider' in specific sections.
  • MO 2024_112: This Ministerial Order amends the Regulated Rate Option Stability Regulation by changing its title to the Rate of Last Resort Stability Regulation.

Why it matters

  • On September 25-27, 2024, Alberta issued a coordinated set of OICs and Ministerial Orders proclaiming sections of the Utilities Affordability Statutes Amendment Act, 2024 into force, expanding the Utilities Consumer Advocate's duties, and systematically renaming 'regulated rate provider/option' to 'rate of last resort provider/regulation' across multiple utility regulations, alongside enacting a new province-wide Rate of Last Resort Regulation. This cluster reflects a unified policy push to restructure utility rate terminology and affordability mechanisms under the new Act. No independent news coverage in search results treats this specific Alberta pattern, but the internal coherence and structural changes signal a substantive regime shift beyond routine amendments.

Primary sources (8)