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 PROVINCE OF BRITISH COLUMBIA
SIXTH. ANNUAL REPORT
OF THE
PUBLIC UTILITIES
COMMISSION
PURSUANT TO SECTION 64 OF THE
PUBLIC UTILITIES ACT
FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31ST DECEMBER
1944
PRINTED BY
AlrmORITY OP THE LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY.
VICTORIA,  B.C. :
Printed by Charles F. Banfield, Printer to the King's Most Excellent Majesty.
1945. Victoria, B.C., February 28th, 1945.
To His Honour the Lieutenant-Governor in Council
of the Province of British Columbia.
May it please Your Honour:
Sir,—We have the honour to transmit herewith, in accordance with section 64 of
the " Public Utilities Act," the Sixth Annual Report of the Public Utilities Commission
under that Act for the year ended December 31st, 1944.
PUBLIC UTILITIES COMMISSION,
W. A. Carrothers,
Chairman.
L. W. Patmore,
Commissioner.
J. C MacDonald,
Commissioner. INDEX.
Page.
Report     5
Schedule B.    Particulars of Regulations made during 1944     6
Schedule C.    Applications and Complaints     6
Part I.—Certificates of Public Convenience and Necessity     6
Part II.—Original Piling of Rate Schedules and Amendments     6
Part III.—Applications for the Commission to fix Rates    9
Part IV.—Approval of Security Issues and Mortgages „_n     9
Part VI.—Applications to the Commission to require Public Utilities to extend
their Systems ■- ,  10
Part VII.—Miscellaneous Applications and Complaints  11
Schedule D.    Summary of Findings of Commission where Commission has acted on
its own Motion or on Request of the Attorney-General  11
Schedule E.    Statement of Revenue and Expense  13  Sixth Annual Report of the Public Utilities Commission
under the "Public Utilities Act"
for the Calendar Year ended December 31st, 1944.
This report of the Public Utilities Commission is made in accordance with section
64 of the " Public Utilities Act" and does not cover the work of the Commission under
the " Motor Carrier Act," a separate report of which is being made pursuant to
section 36 of that Act.
Detailed information relative to those utilities which come within the ambit of
the Act was reported in the Annual Report for 1943. There being no major changes
in 1944, it was felt there was not sufficient reason to warrant listing these details again.
Particulars of regulations promulgated during the year are set out in Schedule B.
Applications and complaints to the Commission, together with summaries of findings of the Commission thereon, are set out in Schedule C.
A summary of the findings of the Commission in regard to matters respecting
which the Commission has acted on its own motion or upon request of the Attorney-
General are set forth in Schedule D. This schedule includes progress reports on the
appraisals of the West Canadian Hydro Electric Corporation, Limited; Cumberland
Electric Lighting Company, Limited; West Kootenay Power and Light Company,
Limited; Okanagan Orchard and Development Company, Limited; and the Okanagan
Centre Irrigation and Power Company, Limited.
A statement of revenue and expenditure for the year 1944 is set out in Schedule E. E 6
BRITISH COLUMBIA.
SCHEDULES.
SCHEDULE B.
Regulations under " Public Utilities Act " made during 1944.
Regulation
No.
Date approved by the
Lieutenant-Governor in Council.
Subject-matter.
Date of Publication
in Gazette.
15
February 1, 1944    ■  	
Approval not required	
Regulations respecting passenger transportation and bus construction
Regulations requiring public utilities to keep
open to public all their rate schedules at
their head office
February 10, 1944.
April 20, 1944.
SCHEDULE C.
Part I.—Applications for Certificate of Public Convenience and Necessity
received or decided in 1944.
Applicant.
Date of
Application.
Particulars.
Summary of Findings
of Commission.
British Columbia Electric
Mar. 31, 1944
For  temporary  discontinuance  of  street-car  ser
Granted; May 18,1944.
Railway Company, Ltd.
vice from  Mount Tolmie to Victoria City and
substitution therefor of a bus service
Zeballos Utilities, Ltd.
May  26, 1944
For   construction   and   operation   of   an   electric
plant and  system  at Zeballos;   generation not
to exceed 25 horse-power
Granted ; July 6, 1944.
Messrs. C. G. Ballentine
Sept. 28, 1944
For construction and operation of a ferry service
Not decided in 1944.
and G. D. Frith	
between Gibsons Landing and Horseshoe Bay
Burns Lake Electric -
Nov. 17, 1944
For   construction   and   operation   of   an   electric
plant at Burns Lake
Not decided in 1944.
S. Gordon  .,  	
Dec.   15, 1944
For construction and  operation  of a waterworks
system in Lake Cowichan Village
Not decided in 1944.
Part II.—Rate Schedules.
(i.) Original Pilings—All Classes of Service.
Applicant.
Nature of Schedule filed.
Area affected.
Date of
filing.
Water  __	
Oyama.	
April    3, 1944.
Coal  Creek,  Hopkins  Landing, and Lamberton REPORT OF PUBLIC UTILITIES COMMISSION, 1944.
E 7
SCHEDULE C—Continued.
Part II.—Rate Schedules—Continued.
(ii.) Amendments and Supplements to Rate and Time Schedules.
(a.) Railways, Street-railways, and Tramways.
Applicant.
British Columbia Electric Railway
Company, Ltd.
Nature of Schedule filed.
Time schedule for Vancouver-
New Westminster interurban
lines
Interurban time schedule __	
Week-day   and   Sunday  street-car
and bus time schedules
Time schedules for street-cars and
buses
Time schedules for street-car and
bus lines
Time schedules for street-car and
bus lines
Time schedules for street-car and
bus lines
Area affected.
Vancouver, New Westminster
and way points
Vancouver  and  New   Westminster
Victoria and vicinity	
Burnside and Mount Tolmie
(Victoria)
Vancouver City 	
Vancouver City-
Vancouver City-
Date of
filing.
April    6. 1944.
April 17, 1944.
May  2, 1944.
June 30, 1944.
Aug.  4. 1944.
Sept. 27, 1944.
Nov. 23, 1944.
(6.)  Telephone and Telegraph Systems.
Chilliwack Telephones, Ltd	
Kootenay Telephone Company, Ltd.
Mission Telephone Company, Ltd...
North-west Telephone Company	
Okanagan Telephone Company..
Revision of wording re service
charge connections
Revision of time schedule for reduced long-distance rates
Reduction of rates and minimum
charges for certain lines
Revision of wording re service
charge connections
Revision of emergency service
regulations
Revision of exchange rates-	
Revision of wording re service
charge connections
Reduction of rates and minimum
charges for certain lines
Revision of wording re service
charge connections
Additional fixed stations and vessels added to schedule
Addition to schedule of fixed stations and vessels
Revision of emergency service
regulations
Revision of time schedule for reduced long-distance rates
Chilliwack _
All areas served by the Company
All areas served by the Company
All areas served by the Company
All areas served by the Company
Kimberley    ..«,
All areas served by the Company
All areas served by the Company
All areas served by the Company
Alice Lake, Bowden Bay,
Gibson's Camp No. 1, Palisade Lake, Loch Lomond,
Woodside Bay, Taste Canal, Wales Island, and
vessels  on   coastal  service
Henslung Bay, Kyuquot,
Belt Logging
All areas served by the Company
All areas served by the Company
April 27,
1944
Feb.    11,
1944
April 27,
1944
April 27,
1944
July    14,
1944
Nov.      7,
1944
April 27,
1944
April 27,
1944
April 27;
1944
June     8,
1944
Oct. 6, 1944.
July 14, 1944.
Mar.     7, 1944. E 8
BRITISH COLUMBIA.
SCHEDULE C—Continued.
Part II.—Rate Schedules—Continued.
(ii.) Amendments and Supplements to Rate and Time Schedules—Continued.
(c.) Electric Power Systems.
Applicant.
Nature of Schedule filed.
Area affected.
Date of
filing.
British Columbia Electric Railway
Company, Ltd,.
Columbia Power Company, Ltd.-	
Columbia-Vanderhoof Power Company, Ltd.
Dominion Electric Power, Ltd	
Nanaimo-Duncan Utilities, Ltd.-	
Princeton Light and Power Company, Ltd.
West Kootenay Power & Light
Company, Ltd.
Corporation of the City of Kelowna
Restriction of availability for certain users
Restriction of availability for certain users
Reduction in minimum charges
for domestic and commercial
lighting during power shortage
Revision of conditions of service
re apartment block transformers
Repeal of restrictions of availability for certain users
Termination of restrictions of
availability
Revision of conditions of service.
Revision of conditions of service _
Revision of street-lighting charge -
Special rates for churches.—.	
Revision of school rates  	
Amendment to hospital rates 	
Revision of domestic and commercial rates
Restriction of availability for certain users
Increase of security deposits	
Lower Mainland, except Kamloops and Bridge River
Vancouver Island South	
Lower Mainland, except Kamloops and Bridge River;
Vancouver Island South
Victoria and vicinity	
Vancouver Island South.
May    11, 1944.
July     5, 1944.
Aug. 14 and 17,
1944.
Sept.     6, 1944.
Sept.   21, 1944.
Revision of minimum charges..
Revision     of
range rates
water-heater    and
Lower Mainland, except Kamloops and Bridge River
Nakusp, Golden, Smithers,
and Sechelt
Nakusp, Golden, Smithers,
and Sechelt
Vanderhoof  _	
Vanderhoof   	
Vanderhoof—  	
Vanderhoof. _	
Dawson Creek and Pouce
Coupe
Nanaimo, Duncan, Saltspring
Island, and vicinity
Princeton .* _	
Nov. 2,
Mar. 28,
June 16,
Jan. 22,
Mar. 3,
Aug. 14,
Aug. 29,
April 19,
July 13,
May 11,
1944.
1944.
1944.
1944.
1944.
1944.
1944.
1944.
1944.
1944.
Kinnaird -
Area served outside municipal boundaries
Feb.    19,  1944.
Jan.   27, 1944.
(d.) Waterworks Systems.
Corporation of the City of Alberni...
Corporation of the City of Courtenay
Cumberland    and    Union    Waterworks Company, Ltd.
General Utility Company, Ltd	
Ladysmith Water Company..
Kinnaird Water Company.___	
Sidney   Water   and   Power   Company, Ltd.
Revision of rates	
Revision of rates .__ __.	
Revision of conditions of service ____
Rate schedule for thawing service-
Revision of sprinkling rates and
security deposits
Revision of conditions of service ..._
Revised rates for Comox Logging
Company
Revision of sprinkling regulations
Revision  of  sprinkling   and   irrigation rates
Alberni and territory adjacent thereto
Courtenay, Comox, and Roy-
ston
Comox-Nelson __ _	
Princeton—	
Princeton ..__ _ _	
Princeton  __ _
Ladysmith and vicinity__
Castlegar..
Sidney_	
Aug. 28,
Sept. 11,
Sept. 19,
Feb. 10,
April 26,
Aug. 14,
June 20,
May 22,
May 16,
1944.
1944.
1944.
1944.
1944.
1944.
1944.
1944.
1944.
(e.) Gas Systems.
British Columbia Electric Railway
Revision   of  commercial   and   in
Vancouver _	
Feb.
1, 1944.
Company, Ltd.
dustrial rate schedules for certain users
Reduction    of    annual    minimum
Victoria,   Oak   Bay,   Esqui-
May
18, 1944.
charge for industrial users
malt, and Saanich REPORT OF PUBLIC UTILITIES COMMISSION, 1944.
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O REPORT OF PUBLIC UTILITIES COMMISSION, 1944. E 11
SCHEDULE C—Continued.
Part VII.—Miscellaneous Applications and Complaints.
(i.)  Applications for Permission to extend Public Utility Systems.
Where the extensions are of a substantial nature, certificates of public convenience and
necessity are required. Particulars of applications for certificates are set out elsewhere in
this report. Each public utility is required to report the particulars of smaller extensions
other than routine service connections, but where the Commission is satisfied that such extensions come within the terms of section 12a of the " Public Utilities Act" it relieves the utility
from the necessity of obtaining a certificate.
Summary of Extensions dealt with under Section 12k of the " Public Utilities Act."
Class of Service.
Public Utility.
Number of
Extensions.
British Columbia Electric Railway Company, Ltd __	
156
5
3
SCHEDULE D.
Summary of Findings op Commission where Commission has acted on its own Motion
or upon Request of the Attorney-General.
While the Commission has instituted inquiries of its own motion in order to obtain information regarding certain public utilities, these inquiries have, in general, been of an informal
nature. Local sittings have been held at different places as a result of applications and complaints, and noted elsewhere in this report in the appropriate schedules. Where the inquiries
have shown that improvement should be made, the utilities concerned have, in general, undertaken them without being required to do so by formal order of the Commission.
British Columbia Electric Railway Company, Ltd.
Pursuant to the policy adopted by the Commission, the operations of the British Columbia
Electric Railway Company, Ltd., and its associated and subsidiary companies were reviewed
and it was found that on the basis of the 1943 revenues a reduction in charges to consumers
was indicated. The Commission therefore ordered a free billing period of two months to
certain consumers of electricity in the following areas served by the utility: Vancouver Island
South, Alberni, Port Alberni and adjacent areas, the City of Kamloops and adjacent areas.
A free billing period of one month was granted to certain consumers of electricity in the
Lower Mainland area, Newcastle-Nanoose, and the Village of Royston and vicinity.
Subsequent discussions between the Commission and the Company officials relative to
prevailing rate schedules led the Company to voluntarily reduce both domestic and commercial
rates in the Vancouver Island South area and the Alberni District served by the Company.
Further modifications of the utility's rates and conditions of service may be recommended
as the Commission sees fit.
The Cumberland Electric Lighting Company, Ltd.
By an order dated May 8th, 1944, the Commission commenced an inquiry into the rates
of the Cumberland Electric Lighting Company, Ltd. The order provided for an appraisal
of the value of the property and an investigation of the adequacy of the service, condition of
the property, and reasonableness of all expenditures and provision for reserves. This inquiry
was undertaken by the Chief Engineer of the Commission. All costs are borne by the
Company.
The appraisal and accounting survey have been completed and a public hearing has been
set for January 10th, 1945. E 12 BRITISH COLUMBIA.
West Canadian Hydro Electric Corporation, Ltd.
By an order dated October 31st, 1941, and approved by Order in Council No. 1526 on
November 4th, 1941, the Chief Engineer of the Commission was instructed to make an
appraisal and investigation of the rates and charges of the West Canadian Hydro Electric
Corporation, Ltd. Preliminary work on this investigation has been completed by the staff
of the Commission and the accounting survey by Price, Waterhouse & Company is almost
complete. As soon as these reports are finished and the interested parties have had an
opportunity to examine them a public hearing will be held.
West Kootenay Power and Light Company, Ltd.
By an order of the Commission dated May 10th, 1944, the Chief Engineer of the Commission was authorized to conduct an appraisal of the property and inquire into the reasonableness of the rates of the West Kootenay Power and Light Company, Ltd. A preliminary
survey on this investigation has been made and it is hoped that the appraisal will be completed in 1945.
Okanagan Centre Irrigation and Power Company, Ltd.
Early in 1943 the Okanagan Centre Irrigation and Power Company, Ltd., made application for an increase in its irrigation rates. Subsequently a hearing was held but evidence
produced at this hearing was not deemed sufficient to enable the Commission to determine
what rates should be charged. Therefore, by an order dated May 1st, 1944, the Commission
instructed that an appraisal of property and an investigation to determine the reasonableness
of the Company's rates be made.
The appraisal and investigation of rates being completed, a public hearing was held at
Okanagan Centre on July 20th, 1944. After making a complete and thorough study of the
evidence presented, the Commission, by an order dated October 2nd, approved of an increase
in irrigation rates during the 1944 irrigation season, provided that all income of the Company
be used for replacements, office salaries and expenses, maintenance, insurance, and other
operating expenses approved by the Commission, and provided that plant records and operating accounts be set up according to the classification as set out by the report of the Chief
Engineer.
The Okanagan Development and Orchard Company, Ltd.
The Okanagan Development and Orchard Company, Ltd., is a public utility that supplies
irrigation-water to farmers near Kelowna. Previous to the passing of the " Public Utilities
Act " the irrigation rates charged by this Company were set each year by the Water Board.
Since this time the Public Utilities Commission has continued to set the rates along the same
lines as the Water Board had previously followed. This allowed for operating expenses,
depreciation, and a return on the value of the works originally determined by the Water
Board. Due to a number of complaints it was decided that an appraisal should be made of
the property and that rates should be set under the principles laid down in the " Public
Utilities Act." Accordingly on August 2nd, 1944, the Commission ordered that an inquiry be
made to determine the just, reasonable, and sufficient rates to be charged for public utility
service furnished by the Okanagan Development and Orchard Company, Ltd. As the Chief
Engineer of the Commission had not completed the appraisal in time to set the rates for the
1944 irrigation season, a hearing was held on the 28th day of December, 1944, and the rates
for the 1944 irrigation season were determined under the same principles as previously. Representations were also made at the hearing by both the consumers and the Company that an
additional rate of $2 per acre per year be charged for three years to set up a fund to provide
moneys for the construction of additional reservoir capacity. This additional rate was
approved, together with conditions under which the said fund was to be administered. REPORT OF PUBLIC UTILITIES COMMISSION, 1944.
E 13
SCHEDULE E.
Comparative Statement of Revenue and Expenses, Public Utilities Commission.
(" Public Utilities Act " and " Motor Carrier Act.")
1940-44.
Year.
Revenue.
Expenses.
" Motor Carrier
Act."
" Public Utilities
Act."
1940                        _           .'.	
$149,038.19
171,170.06
175,945.67
173,714.09
183,524.00
$69,229.50
67,952.13
68,956.02
63,274.33
70,555.02
$45,388.62
1941                                                             ...              - ..
43,935.09
1942  _    	
42,481.88
1543    -           -    	
40,724.35
1944 	
44,613.41
Totals   ...                	
$853,392.01
$339,967.00
$217,143.35
Net revenue over expenses, 1940-44, $296,281.66.
VIOXORI.V,  B.C. :
Printed by Charles F. Banfield, Printer to the King's Most Excellent Majesty.
1945.
455-445-6226