FortisBC Hikes Gas Bills $1.57/Month Starting July: Why Vancouver Homeowners Are Rechecking Heating Costs Before the October Review

FortisBC is raising residential natural gas rates starting July 1, with the average household using about 7.5 gigajoules per month seeing bills climb by roughly $1.57. The British Columbia Utilities Commission (BCUC) approved the increase, which stems from a higher blend of renewable natural gas (RNG) produced from organic waste being folded into the standard supply. FortisBC noted that it does not mark up the cost of gas itself, meaning customers pay what the utility pays. The new rate will remain locked in until October 1, when the next quarterly review is scheduled. A separate voluntary RNG program, priced at $8.66, will not change.

In Greater Vancouver, natural gas remains the dominant heating fuel for detached homes, townhouses, and many low-rise strata buildings, which makes any FortisBC adjustment relevant to monthly carrying costs. While $1.57 is modest, it arrives alongside broader inflation in property taxes, insurance, and strata fees, adding incremental pressure to household budgets. The increase also signals a shift in the standard fuel mix: FortisBC is folding more RNG produced from organic waste into the baseline supply, a move that aligns with broader emissions-reduction conversations in the province. For buyers calculating total ownership costs, and for landlords monitoring cash flow, utility trends are no longer a footnote—they are part of the math that determines whether a property pencils out over a five-to-ten-year hold.