Gas AMI Project – frequently asked questions 

Advanced meters use sound waves to measure gas use, then send the information remotely through a private wireless network. That means we’ll no longer need to read individual meters manually. The meters have no moving parts and are expected to last longer than existing meters.

Upgrading our gas meters to advanced meters will modernize our meter technology. Our gas meter infrastructure hasn’t substantially changed over the past 100 years. Advanced meters will provide customers with more benefits and an enhanced customer experience.

We anticipate exchanging nearly all residential and commercial natural gas customers’ meters to advanced gas meters by 2028. Meter installations at customers’ homes started in 2023, with exchanges done as part of our regular operation (e.g., Measurement Canada testing). We’ll notify customers before the exchange at their address. Customers will have the option to request an appointment for their meter exchange. More details on setting appointments will become available later this year.

There are no separate charges to customers for the meter or its installation.

No rate increases are expected due to the installation, or use, of the new advanced meters.

Advanced gas meters will offer many benefits, including:

Increased convenience:

• Customers will be able to access data about their daily gas use through Account Online. This will help provide them with the information they need to make informed energy choices for their homes and businesses.
• We’ll no longer need to shut off gas service, in most cases, during meter work, or regularly enter customers’ properties to read meters.

Safety enhancements:

• We’ll have the ability to disconnect gas remotely if we become aware of an emergency situation, such as a wildfire, flood or earthquake.
• We’ll have the capability to better identify potential gas leaks and faulty appliances.

Many of the benefits of advanced meters are available through FortisBC’s private wireless network, which is expected to be ready by early 2025. We’ll advise customers when benefits are available in their area. Meters will continue to be read manually until the wireless network is ready.

The meters use sound waves to measure gas use, then send the information through a private wireless network to FortisBC. That means we’ll no longer need to read individual meters manually. They also have no moving parts and are expected to last longer than existing meters. Meters will continue to be read manually until the wireless network is ready.

No, our meters will use a private low-bandwidth network. They are not cellular.

Advanced gas meters are often referred to as ‘smart’ meters. However, the term ‘smart’ meter is more often used by electric utilities.

The AMI Project was approved by the BC Utilities Commission (BCUC) on May 15, 2023. We filed our project application with the BCUC in early May 2021.

• We completed an extensive four-year regulatory process, including customer engagement and notifications, as part of the project to ensure it’s in our customers’ best interests.
• Engagement included province-wide campaigns and information sessions.
• Feedback we received at information sessions—as well as by phone and email—helped us develop our application.
• The process is documented on the BCUC’s website.

The meters have undergone rigorous testing to ensure accuracy, safety and integrity. They are approved for use by Measurement Canada and meet Canadian Standards Association certification, as well as the radio frequency safety standards set out by Health Canada.

While the advanced gas meters will not have seismic shut-off valves, they will offer additional safety features compared to our current meters. These include the ability to shut off gas in the event we are made aware of an emergency, such as a leak or an earthquake.

Advanced meters use a wireless transmitter that emits a low level of electromagnetic field. The low levels of radio frequency emitted by the advanced meters fall within Health Canada’s Safety Code 6 standards.

Did you know millions of advanced meters similar to what we will be using operate safely across North America? In fact, advanced meters emit less radiofrequency than the human body. Take a look at the graphic below to compare:

• There is no evidence to conclude that exposure to these low-level electromagnetic fields is harmful to human health, according to the World Health Organization and other reputable medical organizations including Health Canada.
• Our advanced meters will only transmit a few times a day, totaling two to three seconds.

Yes. We already safely exchange an average of 60,000 gas meters a year, as they reach the end of their operating life. FortisBC has already upgraded its electricity customers to advanced meters.

We’ll notify customers before the meter exchange at their address. Customers will have the option to request an appointment within a limited window for the exchange. More details on setting appointments will become available later this year.

The AMI Project was approved by our regulator, the BCUC, in 2023. We began work on the overall network installation in late 2023. Advanced meter installations at customers’ homes started in 2023 with exchanges done as part of our regular day-to-day operations (e.g. Measurement Canada testing). We expect the network to be ready by 2025. Widescale meter exchanges start in 2025 and are expected to continue into 2028.

Customers should ensure there is a clear pathway to their gas meter by removing any shrubs, debris, parked vehicles or stored items that may be blocking access to it. Maintaining a clear space around gas meters will help ensure the safety of our crews and customers’ homes.

Get more information on meter safety.

In many cases, gas service will need to be shut off to safely complete the meter exchange. In some cases where gas meters have a bypass valve installed, the meter can be exchanged without gas service disruption. Where possible, we’ll install a bypass valve during the meter exchange. That means in the future gas service won’t need to be shut off at a customer’s address to complete a meter exchange.

Upgrading our gas meter technology will not impact the performance of our customers’ gas appliances.

Our technicians will follow our standard procedures when exchanging meters and relighting customer appliances after installation is complete. They will ensure the customer’s home lines and appliances remain safe.

It will take approximately one hour to install the new meter and, if needed, relight gas appliances. Once installed, FortisBC will no longer need to regularly visit customer properties to read meters at addresses where the meter is radio-on and connected to the network.

Most customers don’t need to be home to have their meter exchanged, but all customers do need to ensure there is a clear path, and unobstructed access, to the gas meter. Our crews will remain in their assigned neighbourhood into the early evening on the day of the exchange to complete appliance relights. If a customer is away for an extended period of time, or arrives at home later than our crews can stay, we’ll provide a number to call to have our crews return to the customer’s home to relight gas appliances.

FortisBC will be upgrading all gas meters to modernize our system and increase safety for customers. While we encourage everyone to take advantage of the benefits an advanced meter offers—such as consumption updates, safety features and customer service enhancements—there will be a radio-off option available to customers who want to have their gas meters read manually.

• Those who choose the radio-off option will be required to pay a one-time installation fee and ongoing monthly fees to cover the costs of manual meter reads, to ensure the majority of our customers are not responsible for covering these costs.

We take privacy seriously. Customers’ personal information is protected under the British Columbia Personal Information Protection Act. The only information sent wirelessly over our new private network will be customer meter readings and service alarms. This data is protected by several mechanisms including encryption, proprietary wireless protocols and licensed radio frequencies. Third-party security audits will also be conducted regularly. All data will be stored in Canada in accordance with regulatory requirements. Customer information, such as account balance, names and addresses, will never be transmitted over the new wireless network.

Since late 2019, we’ve engaged with our customers and stakeholders as well as the broader public in the 135 communities that we serve across the province where these upgrades will take place. This includes reaching out through advertising campaigns including social media, digital and print newspapers; letters to stakeholders, governments and Indigenous communities; bill inserts to inform customers directly; and in-person and virtual information sessions.