Advanced gas meters project details

We’re upgrading gas meters to modernize our gas metering technology which hasn’t fundamentally changed in 100 years. The upgrade is part of our ongoing investment in the gas infrastructure, helping us continue to deliver the safe and reliable service our customers depend on every day.

Advanced gas meters will offer future capabilities to allow you to access useful information about the gas you use, helping you consider ways to lower your gas use. Safety enhancements can allow us to remotely shut off gas service if we’re made aware of an emergency. For more details, visit our benefits and technology page.

Advanced gas meters send customer gas usage data and service alarms wirelessly. The information is sent over FortisBC's private network and does not include any personal details. For more information, visit our safety, security, and privacy page.

The British Columbia Utilities Commission (BCUC) approved the Gas AMI Project in May 2023. You can view the documents on the BCUC’s website.

To find out when work is expected to take place in your community, take a look at the AMI schedule map.

When we're ready to conduct meter exchanges in your area, we'll try to reach you in multiple ways, including direct mail, automated calls and email. During warmer months and milder weather, we’ll complete the work without booking an appointment, in most cases. In colder conditions during fall and winter, we may reach out to you to set up an appointment. To learn more about how we manage gas meter exchanges in different seasons, visit our meter installation page.

You don’t need to do anything to schedule a time for the exchange. If an appointment is necessary, we’ll contact you by phone or email. You can help us by making sure your contact details are accurate and up to date to make it easier for us to communicate with you. Make sure there’s always clear access to the meter on your property and a clear path to any appliances that might need to be relit if we have to temporarily turn off gas service during the exchange.

No. There are no separate charges to customers for the meter or its installation, with the exception of the radio-off option.

No. To realize the benefits of modernizing our system, including important safety improvements that will only be available to customers who have a wireless meter, all customer meters will be upgraded. Also, we no longer stock or compliance test older gas meters. You’ll have the option to choose a radio-off meter, which means we'll still install an advanced meter, but the wireless transmissions to send your usage data will be turned off. We’ll continue to read the meter manually for billing purposes. There are fees associated with this option. For details, learn about the radio-off option.

We may need to temporarily shut off gas service to complete the meter exchange safely. If you or a person 16 years or older is present during the exchange, we can relight your appliances right away. If you aren’t, we’ll leave behind information about who to contact to get them relit. In some cases, we can exchange the meter without interrupting your gas service. Where possible, we'll upgrade the meter set with a valve that allows us to maintain gas service while doing future meter work, such as exchanges.

Most customers will get a meter exchange, meaning a technician will replace an existing meter with a advanced gas meter. For a small number of customers, such as propane customers in Revelstoke or higher flow gas customers, we’ll retrofit the current meter with an attachment called a SmartPoint transceiver. This will allow the meter to wirelessly transmit gas usage data for billing purposes. Unlike the advanced meter, the attachment will not have a remote shutoff function.