BP Energy Electricity Export Application

Summary#

This Canada Gazette “Commissions” page brings together several federal notices and decisions. Key items include an application by BP Energy Company to export 400,000 MWh of electricity per year for 10 years, the Canada Revenue Agency publishing many notices to revoke or cancel charities’ registrations, an expiry review by the Canadian International Trade Tribunal of anti‑dumping measures on dry wheat pasta from the Republic of Turkey, and regulatory changes from the Canadian Radio‑television and Telecommunications Commission about how stock footage counts toward a “Canadian program.”

What it does#

• BP Energy Company has applied to the Canada Energy Regulator for permission to export up to 400,000 MWh of combined firm and interruptible electricity each year for 10 years. The CER invited written comments from interested parties (submissions were to be filed by September 5, 2023 with replies by September 19, 2023).
• The Canada Revenue Agency published notices under the Income Tax Act proposing to revoke the registered charity status of many organizations for failing to meet filing requirements, and also published notices where charities requested revocation. The revocations take effect on the date the notice appears in the Gazette.
• The Canadian International Trade Tribunal opened an expiry review of its July 26, 2018 finding on dumped/subsidized dry wheat pasta from the Republic of Turkey. The Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) must first decide whether ending the finding would likely restart dumping/subsidizing; the CBSA’s decision is due within 150 days (by October 12, 2023). The Tribunal aims to issue its order and reasons by March 20, 2024, and scheduled a hearing starting January 15, 2024.
• The Canadian Radio‑television and Telecommunications Commission amended the Television Broadcasting Regulations, 1987 and the Discretionary Services Regulations to change how stock footage costs are treated in determining whether a program qualifies as a “Canadian program.” Those changes come into force on September 1, 2023.
• The Gazette also lists several CRTC licensing decisions for local radio stations published in late July 2023.

Who's affected#

• Electricity market players: BP Energy Company, other exporters/importers, provincial grid operators and market participants, and potentially electricity consumers and utilities in provinces involved in cross‑border flows.
• The many charities named in the CRA notices (across provinces and territories). If a charity’s registration is revoked, it can no longer issue official donation receipts.
• The Canadian pasta industry, importers and distributors, and consumers of dry wheat pasta in Canada — because the expiry review could keep or remove trade remedies that affect prices and supply.
• Broadcasters and independent producers who seek Canadian program certification, especially those who use stock footage, since the CRTC change affects how production costs are assessed.
• Local communities served by the specific radio stations named in the CRTC decisions.

Why it matters#

• Electricity export permission can influence domestic supply and market prices in regions connected to cross‑border lines. Local utilities, large industrial users and ratepayers may be affected if significant amounts of power are exported.
• Losing registered charity status can change an organization’s funding and tax treatment. Donors may no longer receive tax receipts for past or future gifts if a revocation is finalized.
• The trade expiry review could keep anti‑dumping duties in place or remove them. That affects import prices and competitiveness between domestic producers and foreign suppliers (in this case, pasta from the Republic of Turkey).
• The CRTC change clarifies how stock footage is treated for Canadian content certification. That can change how producers budget and claim Canadian status for programs, with knock‑on effects for funding eligibility and broadcaster requirements.
• CRTC licence decisions determine which local radio services operate and what content they provide, which matters for local news, music and community information.