FortisBC users will soon see a drop in natural gas prices

British Columbia natural gas users can expect to see their monthly bills decrease starting in October.

FortisBC says in a statement that it has been given approval by the B.C. Utilities Commission to drop its gas rates for customers by more than 90 cents a gigajoule starting Oct. 1.

The utility says it will amount to about $7 a month in savings for residential customers, depending on a customer's consumption.

Joe Mazza, vice-president of energy supply at Fortis, says the decrease will provide customers with some financial relief as they head into the colder fall and winter months.

He says Fortis understands energy costs are an important part of household budgets and they work hard to deliver gas at the lowest reasonable cost.

Fortis buys natural gas at market prices and factors such as supply and demand affect the price of natural gas, and the statement says those costs flow through to customers.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 18, 2023.