Ottawa — Cheryl Gallant, Member of Parliament for Renfrew-Nipissing-Pembroke, announced that the Government of Canada will fund two research projects that will study the issue of consumer billing practices in Canada’s energy and hydro sectors.
The first project will seek to develop a better understanding of provincial organizations that receive and address consumer complaints about energy and hydro distributors, and how best to improve the system.
The second project will study international billing standards and the positive effects certain practices would have if adopted by Canada’s energy and hydro providers. Some research suggests that Canada’s largest energy providers do not use international billing standards, resulting in some customers receiving incomprehensible or incomplete bills.
The research, funded through the Office of Consumer Affairs’ Contributions Program for Non-profit Consumer and Voluntary Organizations, will provide Ontario consumers with a better understanding of the billing practices of Canada’s energy and hydro providers, helping Ontarians make informed decisions.
Quick facts
*The Office of Consumers Affairs’ Contributions Program for Non-profit Consumer and Voluntary Organizations works to strengthen the consumer’s role in the marketplace by promoting sound research and analysis and by encouraging the financial self-sufficiency of consumer and voluntary organizations.
*The two projects are entitled: “Disputes between consumers and energy distributors: adaptable redress procedures” and “Could the ISO 14452:2012 standard on billing services be beneficial for clients of Canadian energy distribution?”.
