Kootenay East MLA Tom Shypitka is charging Premier David Eby and the governing BC NDP for politicizing the British Columbia Utilities Commission (BCUC).

Shypitka, BC United’s Shadow Minister for Mines & Low Carbon Innovation, says the NDP’s firing of BCUC chief executive officer David Morton and the hiring of Mark Jaccard as replacement CEO and board chair “is a drastic move by this government to politicize the panel ahead of the next election, similar to their reckless political interference of BC Ferries that only resulted in further chaos and inefficiency.

“Former chair David Morton still had over a year left on his mandate and was scheduled to be in his position until December 2024. Not only has this government unnecessarily cut his service short, but they have also replaced him with NDP-ally Mark Jaccard who in 2013 said ‘We should be encouraging individuals to vote NDP in any riding where the NDP has a chance of defeating the Liberal candidate.’

Shypitka charged, “This latest trick by the NDP is a direct violation of the BCUC’s mandate as an independent agency of the government. Jaccard has spent considerable time explicitly criticizing LNG projects and will surely take every chance to kill good-paying jobs for British Columbians.”

The BCUC describes itself as regulatory body for B.C.’s energy utilities, the Insurance Corporation of BC’s basic automobile insurance rates, common carrier pipeline operations and rates, and the reliability of the electrical transmission grid. In March 2020, it was also named the Administrator of B.C.’s Fuel Price Transparency Act.

“We make objective, well-reasoned, evidence-based decisions that are legally binding. We facilitate fair, transparent, and inclusive processes, and we value input from all British Columbian ratepayers,” the BCUC notes on its website.

“Once again, David Eby has resorted to behind-the-scenes politics for his own benefit instead of protecting B.C.’s economy and jobs,” MLA Shypitka stated.

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